as in diluting
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 watering down
Proxies and acolytes are deployed to the networks to underscore the strength of the president’s stance while subtly watering down threats and reassuring investors.
—
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
Stop watering down your message to avoid offending anyone.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
Stop watering down your message to avoid offending anyone.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watering down
Verb
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Relying on that representation, Trinity Broadcasting increased McGraw’s stake in Merit Street, via his production banner Peteski, to 70 percent while diluting its own stake to 30 percent.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Oct. 2025
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Thune took the step last month of allowing Trump officials to be approved in batches, essentially diluting the power of senators in the minority party to register their complaints.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The process of loading the SNAP cards, which involves steps by state and federal government agencies and vendors, can take up to two weeks in some states.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
3 Nov. 2025
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The Republican's order directs state agencies to work with the federal contractor responsible for loading Electronic Benefit Transfer cards to ensure Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are distributed weekly, his office said.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In 2022, debris from an underwater volcanic eruption severed the island's only subsea communication cable, cutting the island off from the rest of the world.—
Magdalena Petrova,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
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Richard’s motor ran high despite the lopsided score, cutting for two layups and also canning a 3-pointer to put up a quick seven points in the period.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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This process aims to prevent gas from polluting the air.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
30 Oct. 2025
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In mineral-rich regions of Africa and South America, Chinese firms have unleashed 21st century resource colonialism, exploiting workers and polluting the environment.—
Young Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Green tea compounds may interact with blood-thinning medications to raise the risk of bleeding.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
3 Nov. 2025
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The majority of interested clients are eligible candidates for PRP and PRF; however, those with blood disorders, autoimmune conditions, infections or taking blood-thinning medication should consult with their aesthetic provider first.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Measles outbreaks are infecting more people this year than in any year since the early 1990s and have already killed three.—
Suhail Bhat,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
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The researchers had shown in 2023 that parasitic scraps of DNA could spread within bacterial populations by hitching rides on the tails of infecting viruses.—
Elie Dolgin,
IEEE Spectrum,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In November 2024, an American citizen was among six tourists who died in Laos, where alcohol tainted with methanol was blamed for poisoning them.—
Jay Ganglani,
NBC news,
5 Nov. 2025
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What about him specifically bothers you especially in terms of poisoning the youth?—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Watering down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watering%20down. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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