WATER DOWN Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

water down

verb

Definition of water down

as in to dilute

to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances watered down the cocktails while jacking up their prices

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of water down Reality says Miami will be forced to play its seventh, if not eighth offensive lineman for at least five games in 2026 because a Dolphins offensive line is annually watered down by injuries. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026 But the administration has also been working to water down historic-preservation rules governing federal projects just as the arch has become subject to that process. — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026 Newspaper op-eds from big names have long been ghostwritten by junior staffers or outside PR firms — no disclosure necessary, and often watered down and hyper-optimized to be as palatable as possible. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Donalds has tried to defuse the issue by saying that SB 484, Florida’s watered down tech protection law, guarantees Floridians will never be hit with electricity rate hikes as a result of data centers. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for water down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for water down

Verb

So to give the Senate itself more power to pass popular bills, the pair will need to find 67 senators willing to dilute their own individual power — at least just a little bit.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
There is a fear that a company will be forced to dilute shareholders or choke itself with expensive debt to build factories to fulfill orders.

— Harvey Stober, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of dilute

Verb

For decades, the European Union has led the world in implementing policies designed to cut emissions, creating the world’s most important price on carbon and crafting the rules of the road for a wide range of regulatory efforts.

— Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
Staff cut raw chicken and then proceeded to cut lamb without washing, rinsing and sanitizing cutting boards and prep tables.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of cut

Verb

That’s what the GOP does by deregulating and lowering environmental standards so energy companies can pollute our air and water with no regard for the citizens.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2026
Open Mind was designed to show readers views that challenged the material polluting their feeds.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of pollute

Verb

Plus, some samples of Martian soil contain high levels of perchlorates, toxic chemical compounds, also found in rocket fuel, that could potentially poison the planet’s supplies of water and food.

— Brian Gallagher, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
Could something so commonplace really be slowly poisoning people?

— Sean McCann, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of poison

Verb

Finally, pneumonic plague occurs when the bacterium infects the lungs—typically through inhalation of infectious droplets rather than flea bites.

— Claire Maldarelli, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026
State officials in August announced that two unvaccinated residents died after being infected with measles.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of infect

Browse Nearby Words

watercrafts

water down

watered

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“Water down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/water%20down. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of water down

verb

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