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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The Olympics’ ability to spread itself out without diluting its iconic character will be worth following all February long.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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The smell will fade overtime as the blinds begin to dry, but diluting vinegar with water helps minimize the potency of the scent.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
2 Jan. 2026
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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The evidence is overwhelming and very difficult for high-polluting foreign governments to credibly challenge.—
Chip Lamarca,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
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Some in the industry are frustrated, saying opponents are spreading falsehoods about data centers — such as polluting water and air — and are difficult to overcome.—
Marc Levy,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Research shows that caffeine increases the concentration of blood-thinning medication in the bloodstream, enhancing its effects.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
7 Jan. 2026
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Boost Flavor in a Flash Tomato paste adds instant richness without thinning the dish.—
Anne Wolf,
Martha Stewart,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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It's revealed that this beauty drug is infecting people with a virus that leads to death, luring in an investigation by FBI Agents Cooper Madsen, played by Evan Peters, and Jordan Bennett, played by Rebecca Hall.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
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Set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, the Larian Studios RPG follows a party that seeks to cure themselves of a parasitic tadpole infecting their brains.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Jan. 2026
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 9 Jan. 2026.
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