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
Some Republicans, however, have expressed caution about watering down districts heading into an election cycle that is historically bad for the party in the White House.
—
Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
On Wednesday, The Times reported that Bass was directly involved in watering down the city’s after-action report on the fire, citing unnamed sources.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
States that are already watering down or even eliminating vaccine requirements may align with the administration’s decision to neglect and hide the data, contributing to a growing gap between states on vaccine policy, further fragmenting and politicizing decisions that should be based on science.
—Jill Rosenthal, STAT, 14 Jan. 2026
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
Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
On Wednesday, The Times reported that Bass was directly involved in watering down the city’s after-action report on the fire, citing unnamed sources.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
States that are already watering down or even eliminating vaccine requirements may align with the administration’s decision to neglect and hide the data, contributing to a growing gap between states on vaccine policy, further fragmenting and politicizing decisions that should be based on science.
—Jill Rosenthal, STAT, 14 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watering down
Verb
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The challenge lies in tailoring your tone without diluting the mission or fragmenting the brand.—
Rolling Stone Culture Council,
Rolling Stone,
11 Mar. 2026
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Try diluting it with water if the taste is too much for you.—
Jamie Johnson,
Verywell Health,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fox is loading up its reboot of the famous lifeguard action drama with social media stars.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
12 Mar. 2026
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Around 24 hours after his birth, William and Kate debuted George on the famous steps of the Lindo Wing, loading him up in their waiting Range Rover to take their boy home.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pfeiffer opened the scoring in the eighth minute, cutting across from the right wing and beating Denver keeper Abby Smith with her left foot.—
Harold Gutmann,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
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The recently recovered Celtics star drew a shooting foul, fed Queta for a cutting dunk and sank a 3-pointer on consecutive Celtics possessions, then pulled up for an 18-footer a minute later.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit accused Sacramento of creating a public nuisance and violating a Fish and Game Code section prohibiting polluting California’s waters.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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In 1991, during the Gulf War, Iraq intentionally released hundreds of millions of barrels of oil into the Persian Gulf, polluting the water used by Gulf desalination plants.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Patients may also experience hair thinning with higher doses for prolonged periods, especially when paired with low-calorie intake.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
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Heavy oils that work well for curlier textures can flatten waves and make thinning more noticeable.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The suppurating contempt Sheridan feels for the Big Apple oozes its way through much of the series, its condescending pus infecting stunning vistas, swelling musical compositions and at least one award-worthy performance, courtesy of Michelle Pfeiffer.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
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People who develop symptoms after an exposure should call before seeking medical care, to reduce the odds of infecting others.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Richins, 35, faced multiple felony charges for allegedly poisoning Eric Richins, her late husband, in March 2022.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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Chronic mold poisoning our children.—
Sumathy Kumar,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watering down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watering%20down. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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