as in wetting
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
moisten the cloth before cleaning with it
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Recent Examples of moistening
For this, Langelo recommends moistening the soil to make the weeds easier to pull.
—
Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 26 Apr. 2026
Each watering session should deliver about 1/2 inch of water, moistening the soil to a depth of about 6 inches to support healthy root development.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
For indoor growers, Karsch recommends moistening your seed starting mix well before filling trays or small pots and planting, then keeping it moist with a spray bottle or mister.
—Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 6 Apr. 2026
Your nose is better at warming and moistening the cold, dry air than your mouth.
—Susan Russell, Verywell Health, 23 Dec. 2025
Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 26 Apr. 2026
Each watering session should deliver about 1/2 inch of water, moistening the soil to a depth of about 6 inches to support healthy root development.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
For indoor growers, Karsch recommends moistening your seed starting mix well before filling trays or small pots and planting, then keeping it moist with a spray bottle or mister.
—Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 6 Apr. 2026
Your nose is better at warming and moistening the cold, dry air than your mouth.
—Susan Russell, Verywell Health, 23 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moistening
Verb
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Avoid wetting foliage when watering plants or water in the morning if using overhead sprinklers to help minimize foliar disease.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
-
Avoid wetting leaves and vines.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Inside the bucket is a scraper that removes dirt and hair from the mop head while rinsing.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
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For example, if allergies are due to pollen, staying indoors, using sunglasses or rinsing off your face after exposure can help decrease allergen load around your eyes.—
Neelam Patadia,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
Verb
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So far, Ramos said he’s donated all of his auto-flushing devices to CPS.—
Christiana Freitag,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
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Use a toilet brush to scrub the entire bowl surface, then let the product stand for 5 minutes before flushing.—
Better Homes & Gardens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Unlike a conventional air suspension setup designed mainly for comfort, DiSus-P actively controls the height and damping of each wheel independently.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
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According to gardening expert Lucie Bradley, damping off is the main reason seedlings might stop growing before drooping and dying.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
23 May 2026
Verb
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In fact, keeping denim looking its best requires not washing them very often at all.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
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Any washing machine leaks would cause excessive damage to carpet, and the flooring would likely need to be removed and replaced.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 June 2026
Verb
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An inner cover allows moisture to condense without dampening the hive, and an outer cover protects the colony from inclement weather.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
-
Kyle Grillot | Bloomberg | Getty Images Mortgage rates continued to climb higher last week, dampening demand for loans from both current homeowners and potential homebuyers.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moistening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moistening. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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