waters down

verb

present tense third-person singular of water down
as in dilutes
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

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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 waters down That major hedge is new, and seriously waters down the importance of these two existing constitutional criteria. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 Many have complained that having two divisions and two state champions for each classification waters down the playoffs and provides easier paths to the state championship game. — Greg Riddle, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026 Tech companies are poised for a big win if Europe waters down its digital regulations overhaul and makes compliance voluntary. — Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026 The most recent version of the deal waters down a landmark 2021 agreement that set a minimum global corporate tax of 15%. — Fatima Hussein, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waters down
  1. dilutes
  2. loads
  3. cuts
  4. pollutes
  5. thins
  6. infects
Verb
  • When a company dilutes its shareholders, the stock’s value has a high probability of declining.
    — David Capablanca, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Instead, the new exhibit dilutes the story of slavery by surrounding it with material that has little to do with the President’s House at all, such as biographies of individual Founders and the ins and outs of various constitutional structures.
    — John Garrison Marks, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026
Definition of dilutes
Verb
  • Turnover and the shelter’s euthanasia rates were trending down; officers’ shifts were shorter and case loads smaller.
    — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026
  • That change has pushed the best operators to bring more of the logistics function in-house by making decisions such as which routes run, which carriers get which loads, and how exceptions get handled before a customer notices something went wrong.
    — Nishith Rastogi, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of loads
Verb
  • Zayn's recent proximity to the title picture cuts the other way.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The official also asked agency heads to prepare contingency plans identifying places to save money in a worst-case scenario that cuts need to be made.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of cuts
Verb
  • The Chenab River runs red with blood while poison pollutes the five rivers of Punjab and spreads through the fertile soil.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
  • New rules require hundreds of businesses to clean up runoff from large parking lots that pollutes creeks and beaches.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of pollutes
Verb
  • As collagen production declines with age, that support breaks down, which is a key reason why skin gradually thins and develops fine lines and wrinkles.
    — Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026
  • This adoption is happening while the American open-weight bench thins out.
    — Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of thins
Verb
  • The parasite infects food that has come into contact with human feces, most commonly when produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The parasite infects the small intestine, causing prolonged, watery and sometimes explosive diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal cramping and severe fatigue.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of infects

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waters
waters down
watershed
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Cite this Entry

“Waters down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waters%20down. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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