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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Routhenstein recommends diluting oxymel in water and consuming it with meals to protect tooth enamel, reduce stomach irritation, and minimize blood sugar spikes.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Health,
7 Nov. 2025
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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
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
-
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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The new material uses a common wood waste product to create a greener future for electronics, removing toxic metals and avoiding complex, polluting manufacturing methods.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
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Solar Power to the Amazonian People Many riverside communities throughout the Amazon basin lack access to electricity and often depend on polluting kerosene lamps and diesel generators for light and power.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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All of these things can have a blood-thinning effect that can worsen bruising.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
11 Nov. 2025
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This is especially important for people taking blood-thinning medications, like Warfarin.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Medflies can ruin more than 250 kinds of produce by infecting them with maggots.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
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Cutting back herbaceous and intersectional peonies in late fall keeps pests and diseases from overwintering in the dead foliage and stems and infecting the plant’s new growth when spring returns.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 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 15 Nov. 2025.
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