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
Soften turf by moistening the lawn a day or two before removal and use a sharp space to cut small sections.
—
David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 2026
Your nose is better at warming and moistening the cold, dry air than your mouth.
—Susan Russell, Verywell Health, 23 Dec. 2025
David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 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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Space Leylands 8 to 10 feet apart to control these problems and avoid wetting the foliage.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
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When cleaning your upholstered headboard, avoid over-wetting it.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This is the reason many food safety experts agree that rinsing raw fish and meats isn’t a good idea.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
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Others scrub into the grout and need rinsing immediately.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Keep the toilet lid closed to reduce the spread of odors when flushing.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Though compact, it's equipped with storage space, a vanity sink, a flushing toilet, and a shower/bath, which is always a nice bonus in a tiny house.—
Adam Williams
March 10,
New Atlas,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Designed to protect infrastructure from earthquakes, wind, and industrial vibrations, the invention offers a low-cost, reliable alternative to other damping systems.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
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Increase Air Circulation and Humidity Place a small fan near the seed starting area to keep the air moving and reduce damping off, a common fungal disease.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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An employee shifted from cleaning floors to handling a container of food without washing hands.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
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To save them, remove the mold by washing them thoroughly with water to remove surface fungi, then spray them with a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide (1 part hydrogen peroxide to 2 parts water).—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After each set of waves, the control room would repeat the test, only with the turbulence-dampening software turned on this time.—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
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Currently, some of Europe’s best basketball teams (including Turkey’s Fenerbahçe Beko and Greece’s Olympiacos Piraeus) aren’t connected to its largest media markets, dampening ubiquitous continental interest in the sport and lowering its television value.—
Alex Sherman,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moistening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moistening. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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