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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of watering down
Name, image and likeness money is pulling guys with borderline first-round grades back to school, which is watering down the top of each class.
—
Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Trump blinked, pausing and watering down many of those tariffs in response to extreme market pressure.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
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
Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Trump blinked, pausing and watering down many of those tariffs in response to extreme market pressure.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watering down
Verb
-
Deter bees from soaking up the nectar by diluting the blend, mixing it with more water than sugar.—
Blythe Copeland,
Martha Stewart,
15 Apr. 2026
-
What’s more, the suit alleges that management and company affiliates enriched themselves — through operating fees, development fees, property-management and leasing fees, reimbursements and insider-favoring transactions — while diluting investor equity.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
King clipped Ramón Urías with a slider, loading the bases.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The Rays had a chance for a potential big inning earlier in the game, loading the bases with two outs in the third.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Vesia surrendered a two-run triple to Swanson and an RBI single to Nico Hoerner, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to one.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Part of that includes 'cutting the pond' using machinery to dig through the sand and allow water to flow in and out.—
Jacob Wycoff,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As of last April, the state environmental agency was also lagging behind on inspections of polluting facilities, according to the audit.—
Christine Condon,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In the industrial revolution, emissions from factories and eventually cars began polluting our air, trapping atmospheric gases and warming our planet, pushing temperatures to dangerous levels.—
Brandon Goldner,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But my longtime pals, baby boomers all, are thinning out.—
David McGrath,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
It is treated with beta blockers and blood-thinning medicine to reduce risks of clots and other flareups.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In some experiments, scientists have reactivated viruses that remained capable of infecting host cells after thawing, though none have been linked to human illness.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Neem oil coats the leaves and prevents disease spores from infecting them.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The young woman who sojourned to Oberlin College, where she was wrongfully accused of poisoning her classmates and beaten half to death, who raised her hands in defense of herself, then went on to grip clay and rock and chisel to re-create visions of justice.—
Tyehimba Jess,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Protesters, however, say that HERC, which neighbors Target Field near the North Loop neighborhood, is responsible for essentially poisoning people who live nearby.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watering down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watering%20down. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
