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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of water down
Trump health officials are proposing changes that would water down the options for people who buy their own health insurance through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
—
Bob Herman, STAT, 11 Feb. 2026
Harris said swift regulation is pressing because as AI takes over jobs, human political power could become watered down as human workers grow less valuable economically.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
To help break down grease residue, pour near-boiling water down the drain once a week.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026
Policies that would actually help people get watered down.
—State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for water down
Bob Herman, STAT, 11 Feb. 2026
Harris said swift regulation is pressing because as AI takes over jobs, human political power could become watered down as human workers grow less valuable economically.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
To help break down grease residue, pour near-boiling water down the drain once a week.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026
Policies that would actually help people get watered down.
—State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for water down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for water down
Verb
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Give your plant orchid food or a balanced fertilizer diluted to half strength.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
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The poetry of Brontë’s language is likewise diluted.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Before long, it was loaded up with 100 whistles and placed on the front counter.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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And the two front-runners are loading up.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The spoon even comes with measuring lines for a teaspoon and tablespoon, saving you from having to dirty another utensil.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
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The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the men's singles final in figure skating, the NBC telecast just cut to a shot of American Max Naumov, who was juggling a soccer ball.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
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Catherine’s brother Hindley, a vicious bully whose abuse is part of what drives Cathy and Heathcliff so closely together, is cut entirely, his role combined with Catherine’s father.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Japan, one of the world's top carbon emitters, plans to ship emissions from its heavily polluting industries –– spanning electric power, oil refining, cement, shipping and steel –– to Malaysia within the next few years.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
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All the money in the world isn’t going to save you when the air is polluted and the water is undrinkable.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in prison after being poisoned by a frog toxin, five European countries said Saturday.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
15 Feb. 2026
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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in a remote Siberian prison two years ago, was almost certainly poisoned with a deadly toxin found in South American dart frogs, five European governments said Saturday.—
Nandika Chatterjee,
Time,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Lung, stomach and cervical cancers accounted for nearly half of the cases that were linked to modifiable risks, with many linked to viruses and bacteria like the human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C, and Helicobacter pylori (a common bacterium that infects the stomach lining).—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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Those infected in South Carolina who haven’t yet developed encephalitis may yet do so.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Water down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/water%20down. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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