as in adulterated
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as in diluted
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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Recent Examples of watered-down
Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
That language has been watered down to a study on the economic impact of such boundaries.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
Whether the House’s restrictive approach prevails or is watered down in negotiations with the Senate could determine not only the future of the emergency fund but also how much unilateral spending power Florida’s governor retains as hurricane season looms over the coming year.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 13 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
Policies that would actually help people get watered down.
—State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
This was all before sources told The Times last week that Bass ordered an after-action report on the Palisades fire be — no pun intended — watered down to limit legal liability against the city.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Some of his bolder earlier pledges did not make the election manifesto and others were watered down.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Will transparency reveal true costs, or be watered down before decisions are made?
—Geoff Watkinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
In the decades since, silencing of even that watered-down (if in some ways more accurate) term has been linked to fossil fuel companies suppressing science to boost profits.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
His administration was filled with crypto-friendly people, who watered down regulations, prompting all sorts of investors to buy into the craze.
—Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
That language has been watered down to a study on the economic impact of such boundaries.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
Whether the House’s restrictive approach prevails or is watered down in negotiations with the Senate could determine not only the future of the emergency fund but also how much unilateral spending power Florida’s governor retains as hurricane season looms over the coming year.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 13 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
Policies that would actually help people get watered down.
—State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
This was all before sources told The Times last week that Bass ordered an after-action report on the Palisades fire be — no pun intended — watered down to limit legal liability against the city.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Some of his bolder earlier pledges did not make the election manifesto and others were watered down.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Will transparency reveal true costs, or be watered down before decisions are made?
—Geoff Watkinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watered-down
Adjective
-
The company in 2020 pleaded guilty to distributing adulterated ice-cream products and agreed to pay a fine over the outbreak.—
Dylan Tokar,
WSJ,
2 Feb. 2023
-
And while most of those overdoses involved the illicit synthetic opioid fentanyl, experts say that an adulterated and contaminated drug supply is also leading to deaths.—
Nadia Kounang,
CNN,
17 Mar. 2022
Verb
-
Give your plant orchid food or a balanced fertilizer diluted to half strength.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The poetry of Brontë’s language is likewise diluted.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Roads like Brook Forest could be so loaded up that people might drive on both sides of the road to exit in a real fire threat.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
From there, the Aggies (2-0) loaded the bases for shortstop Boston Kellner, who doubled home a run to push the lead to 5-0.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The vaccination status of those infected is not disclosed.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Each year in Norway, about 2% of babies infected with RSV are admitted to the hospital.—
Ariana Hendrix,
STAT,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Watered-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watered-down. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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