water down

verb

Definition of water downnext
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

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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 What feels like a quick rinse actually sends gallons of water down the drain. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2026 But Reeves and Starmer faced criticism for some of their fiscal policies, such as increasing National Insurance — a kind of tax on employment — for businesses, and watering down welfare reforms to appease backbench lawmakers. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 July 2026 At the same time, rising gasoline and power costs have watered down the party’s stance against fossil fuels. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 21 July 2026 The second problem is their plan lets Congress water down any commission recommendations. — Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for water down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for water down
  1. dilute
  2. load
  3. dirty
  4. cut
  5. pollute
  6. poison
  7. infect
Verb
  • Wealthy individuals and companies will also prefer assets that are hard to dilute, tax selectively, or trap – bitcoin foremost among them.
    — Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Serve immediately to avoid the salad becoming watery and diluted in flavor.
    — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dilute
Verb
  • The Buckeyes are loaded, even though the program lost four standouts within the NFL Draft’s first 11 picks.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Pack the car in reverse order, so the last box loaded is the first one your student needs.
    — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of load
Verb
  • Satisfy your lasagna craving without dirtying up a pile of dishes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
  • The zipper shoe compartment keeps your shoes from dirtying up your clothing, and the massive interior can hold many outfits for your weekend getaway.
    — Olivia Dubyak, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026
Definition of dirty
Verb
  • Since it was designated the first national recreation area in 1964, hordes of visitors have cut Lake Mead’s glassy surface with jet skis and boats, carelessly dropping belongings that may now wash up on shore.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • First, prep your sandwich with any fillings, then place it into the cutter to cut and seal in one step.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut
Verb
  • The only appropriate response to the industry’s rush to build costly, polluting gas plants at the sites of data centers is a pause in development and enactment of new policy guardrails, designed in close consultation with affected communities.
    — John Kostyack, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • This large mass will translate into higher quantities of polluting propellant needed to loft these systems off Earth and a much larger amount of metals vaporizing in Earth's atmosphere during reentry.
    — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of pollute
Verb
  • Trump is also poisoning the process at a moment when the system for casting votes in the United States really does need shoring up.
    — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • An unknown person has been poisoning mature pine trees at Burnt Cedar Beach in Incline Village since 2022, with 16 more trees targeted this July and August — a case some suspect involves a wealthy resident trying to improve their view of Lake Tahoe.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of poison
Verb
  • Experts say West Nile virus symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle aches, rash and fatigue, though most people who are infected have no symptoms.
    — Katie Houlis, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Nearly 5,000 people have been infected by the disease in Congo, including 2,325 deaths, with Ituri accounting for nearly 90% of the cases.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of infect

Browse Nearby Words

watercrafts
water down
watered
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Cite this Entry

“Water down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/water%20down. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of water down for Spanish Speakers

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