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
CNN Money, 14 June 2026
This tournament is so watered down because of FIFA’s decision to expand the field from 32 to 48 teams that this will be the first World Cup not to have an opening round Group of Death.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
Three federal health employees later told me political appointees had watered down the original language.
—Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 9 June 2026
By then, his sentence got watered down by Epstein’s lawyers.
—Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Many watered down those authorities.
—Rob Stein, NPR, 4 June 2026
Her looks were watered down and her ratios have proven unlovely.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
The concierge idea is being watered down in favor of dealerships, perhaps shared with Hyundai and Kia.
—Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Then, in 1961, and then periodically throughout the 1960s, it was watered down.
—ABC News, 24 May 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
Three federal health employees later told me political appointees had watered down the original language.
—CNN Money, 14 June 2026
This tournament is so watered down because of FIFA’s decision to expand the field from 32 to 48 teams that this will be the first World Cup not to have an opening round Group of Death.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
Three federal health employees later told me political appointees had watered down the original language.
—Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 9 June 2026
By then, his sentence got watered down by Epstein’s lawyers.
—Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Many watered down those authorities.
—Rob Stein, NPR, 4 June 2026
Her looks were watered down and her ratios have proven unlovely.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
The concierge idea is being watered down in favor of dealerships, perhaps shared with Hyundai and Kia.
—Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Then, in 1961, and then periodically throughout the 1960s, it was watered down.
—ABC News, 24 May 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
-
And given the vast, existing economic heft of this year’s hosts — the US, Canada, and Mexico together represent about 30% of global GDP — any effect will be diluted further.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
11 June 2026
-
This depends on many different factors, including the type of bean, grind size, time spent brewing, and how the coffee is prepared or diluted.—
Christina Manian,
Health,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The gun was not loaded when police seized it, according to Carissa Planalp, a public information officer for Buckeye police.—
David Ulloa Jr,
AZCentral.com,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Her husband, Leon, loaded her into their car and sped away hoping to reach another hospital.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Given the severity of her infection — and the fact that another child from the same orphanage also tested positive for hepatitis B — Kamischke, now 63, tells PEOPLE that Maren was likely not infected at birth, but by a caretaker.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
11 Dec. 2025
-
Infants are far more likely than older children and adults to develop chronic hepatitis B if they are infected.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Researchers say the facility significantly cuts both training time and cost for AI models.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Sacramento’s latest homelessness decision will cut funding and reduce services at some shelters that support pregnant youth, the LGBTQ+ community and young parents.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Watered-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watered-down. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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