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
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
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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Try diluting it with water if the taste is too much for you.—
Jamie Johnson,
Verywell Health,
9 Mar. 2026
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There was also a miscommunication in the box that let Tim Ream let a ball go instead of attacking it; there was also a rare bad touch by Biel diluting his chance at a clear 1-on-1 with the Austin FC goalkeeper.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Aramco has been redirecting oil cargoes to Red Sea facilities on Saudi Arabia’s west coast to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, with eight supertankers loading from the area this month.—
Christine Burke,
Bloomberg,
8 Mar. 2026
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Yes, blueberries are great, but the key isn’t loading up on a single fruit.—
Lynn Andriani,
Martha Stewart,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After cutting direct military aid to Ukraine last year, Washington even reached out to Kyiv for its expertise in countering Iranian drones, which Russia uses to attack it.—
Robin Wright,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
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During one spurt, the freshman put up eight points in less than four minutes, cutting UCLA’s lead to 11.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Cows are responsible for many millions of pounds of nitrogen every year, polluting Florida’s springs, rivers and estuaries.—
Harper West,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
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The settlement continues Oklahoma’s progress in holding poultry companies accountable for polluting the Illinois River Watershed, Drummond said.—
Barbara Hoberock,
Oklahoman,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The wet-look bob By scraping hair away from the face and gathering it at the back of the head, a slick wet-look bob is a chic way to disguise thinning hair.—
Fiona Embleton,
Glamour,
6 Mar. 2026
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China’s leveling playing field Beyond seasonality, BYD’s thinning lead in domestic sales suggests a leveling in China’s EV playing field, as offerings from its competitors grow increasingly appealing to consumers.—
Matthew Chin,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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As the train departs, a sick woman begins transitioning into a zombie — and infecting everyone around her.—
Ilana Gordon,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Chronic mold poisoning our children.—
Sumathy Kumar,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
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Through the years, there have been more oil spills, but also toxic algae blooms poisoning sea creatures with domoic acid and disease outbreaks, unusual stranding events that would fill the center to maximum capacity.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watering down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watering%20down. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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