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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in adulterated
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Recent Examples of watered-down
Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Calmatters, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
This is proof that a novel doesn’t need to be watered down in its style or ideas in order to hold a reader’s attention.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
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
From Kuruvilla’s perspective, the industry doesn’t have a method of holding everyone accountable if the due diligence legislation is watered down significantly enough; a death-by-omnibus could undermine supply chain accountability across the value chain at large.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 30 Sep. 2025
The mass-absorption of content watered down Prime Video’s overall pool of exclusivity as much of Freevee’s library was older content, which is the easiest to share.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
That’s why the game feels watered down now.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
Adjective
The measure has since been watered down and now requires children between the ages of 8 to 16, starting in 2027, to pass a five-step test to be considered properly restrained by a seat belt.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
This is proof that a novel doesn’t need to be watered down in its style or ideas in order to hold a reader’s attention.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
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
From Kuruvilla’s perspective, the industry doesn’t have a method of holding everyone accountable if the due diligence legislation is watered down significantly enough; a death-by-omnibus could undermine supply chain accountability across the value chain at large.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 30 Sep. 2025
The mass-absorption of content watered down Prime Video’s overall pool of exclusivity as much of Freevee’s library was older content, which is the easiest to share.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
That’s why the game feels watered down now.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watered-down
Verb
-
The case focuses on a lower court ruling that determined that the previous version of Louisiana's congressional map unlawfully diluted Black voting power.—
NPR,
NPR,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The plaintiffs argued that the new map was discriminatory because the voting power of Black citizens in the state was being illegally diluted.—
Sam D. Hayes,
The Conversation,
13 Oct. 2025
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
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Its compact design allows it to be airlifted or sling-loaded, enabling rapid deployment to forward or remote locations.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The picture – emblazoned on a T-shirt – showed Jewish people being loaded onto a ship bound for Madagascar.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In cells infected with influenza A, FOOD and F-ApoEVs contained viral proteins and even whole virions, which are the complete, infectious viral particles that exist outside a host cell.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The turmoil created by the revolving door of owners infected the clubhouse.—
Jon Paul Hoornstra,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The organization is also working with ranchers to establish prescribed burn associations to manage the damaging plants and is organizing community cutting days to reduce woody encroachment further.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Store cut or cooked squash in an airtight zip-top bag or container in the refrigerator for up to four days.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Watered-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watered-down. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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