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
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026
The bill was watered down by the end of session.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
The board voted to move forward with a study on Tuesday, April 14 after the original motion by First District Supervisor Hilda Solis was watered down and amended.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
The word has violent roots — but over time, linguists and etymologists say, its meaning has sometimes been watered down to simply be a playful type of humor.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 8 Apr. 2026
These rules, vehemently opposed by the natural gas industry, already watered down by the district to near-toothlessness, were ultimately rejected by the board — apparently overwhelmed by the flood of fake opposition to even the mildest effort to limit pollution from gas-burning appliances.
—Mary Nichols, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Hoping to avoid a veto, Bahrain significantly watered down its proposal to authorize defensive — but not offensive — action to ensure vessels can safely transit the strait.
—Didi Tang, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Hoping to avoid a veto, Bahrain significantly watered down its proposal to authorize defensive — but not offensive — action to ensure vessels can safely transit the strait.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
The resolution was significantly watered down in the face of opposition from China and Russia about allowing force.
—CBS News, 2 Apr. 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
On the big screen, marijuana has been watered down to the point of near invisibility.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026
The bill was watered down by the end of session.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
The board voted to move forward with a study on Tuesday, April 14 after the original motion by First District Supervisor Hilda Solis was watered down and amended.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
The word has violent roots — but over time, linguists and etymologists say, its meaning has sometimes been watered down to simply be a playful type of humor.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 8 Apr. 2026
These rules, vehemently opposed by the natural gas industry, already watered down by the district to near-toothlessness, were ultimately rejected by the board — apparently overwhelmed by the flood of fake opposition to even the mildest effort to limit pollution from gas-burning appliances.
—Mary Nichols, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Hoping to avoid a veto, Bahrain significantly watered down its proposal to authorize defensive — but not offensive — action to ensure vessels can safely transit the strait.
—Didi Tang, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Hoping to avoid a veto, Bahrain significantly watered down its proposal to authorize defensive — but not offensive — action to ensure vessels can safely transit the strait.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
The resolution was significantly watered down in the face of opposition from China and Russia about allowing force.
—CBS News, 2 Apr. 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
-
Communities across Florida, especially Black and brown voters, LGBTQ Floridians, and young people, will see their voices diluted.—
Jon Harris Maurer,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
-
When those districts still diluted Black voting strength, activists returned to court.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Snell loaded the bases three batters into the game and gave up a run in the first inning.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
-
The analytics group says that most Middle East cargoes loaded before the war have now been discharged, meaning the inventory drawdown will accelerate and local refining will slow.—
Leonie Kidd,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
In total, five people have been confirmed to have contracted the virus while three others are suspected of being infected.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The strain involved in the outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, the Andes virus, is capable of person to person transmission, though it is considered rare and requires prolonged close contact with someone who has been infected, or with their bodily fluids.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The shutdown has had a massive impact on the finances of Iranians whose businesses rely on internet access and has also effectively cut the people off from the outside world.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
-
After being cut from the high school team each of his first three years, Sloane piled on some muscle, increased the velocity on his fastball and drew college interest last summer.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watered-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watered-down. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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