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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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
Critics of 243 argued it was watered down significantly after industry input.
—
Kate Wolffe
october 13, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025
That appeared to work out once again with his threats to China over rare earth exports later watered down online, Woods said.
—Alex Harring,sarah Min, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2025
Swift simply refuses to pass this baton, and her kung fu grip on pop’s crown handicapped this record and watered down her best qualities.
—Bianca Davino, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
In one passage, the cameras follow water down a shower drain and into a cavernous subterranean universe; in another, Mike tumbles through a sky of stars.
—Carrie Battan, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for water down
Kate Wolffe
october 13, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025
That appeared to work out once again with his threats to China over rare earth exports later watered down online, Woods said.
—Alex Harring,sarah Min, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2025
Swift simply refuses to pass this baton, and her kung fu grip on pop’s crown handicapped this record and watered down her best qualities.
—Bianca Davino, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
In one passage, the cameras follow water down a shower drain and into a cavernous subterranean universe; in another, Mike tumbles through a sky of stars.
—Carrie Battan, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for water down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for water down
Verb
-
Never use hydrogen peroxide at full strength on floors—dilute it with water before using.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The denim purveyor said in its complaint that the tab trademark has come to be known as a concrete signal that consumers are buying an authentic Levi’s product and argued that extraneous uses of that trademark could dilute or harm its own brand.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But if the government doesn't reopen soon, these cards will not be loaded.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Three Jays pushed runs across with the bases loaded in the sixth.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The ashes from the crematorium chimney covered the streets, sooted the rain, dirtied the snow, damaged the crops, infected every body.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
-
At Dilara Findikoglu, models looked like ladies in waiting that had risen from the dead; wearing antiquated corsetry that was dirtied and torn.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The veteran coach believes the solution to the problem is to cut some games off the 82-game schedule, a view shared by Cleveland Cavaliers coach (and former Kerr assistant) Kenny Atkinson, who recently advocated for a 72-game season.—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The 10-year Treasury yield was little changed Friday following this week’s interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve and the central bank’s more hawkish tone on future policy.—
Sean Conlon,Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
He was reared in an environment polluted with drugs, gangs and violence.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
-
In 2021 alone, the world produced more than 390 million tons of plastic annually, most of which continues to pollute the environment.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
What about him specifically bothers you especially in terms of poisoning the youth?—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
-
There’s often an arch detachment where the singer tries to pretend as though they haven’t actually been poisoned by being online themselves.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Healthy people infected with salmonella may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.—
Eva Wen,
jsonline.com,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Some ferrets that drank contaminated raw milk became infected, but those that ate contaminated raw milk cheese did not.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Water down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/water%20down. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share