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
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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
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
Verb
-
Alphabet went the other way and issued stock, which dilutes existing shareholders but adds no fixed interest bill to meet whether or not the AI bet pays off.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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Among other changes, the new law dilutes some of the influence the mayor of Chicago has over the executive appointment process at the CTA, which has been led for more than a year by an acting president, Nora Leerhsen.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The duo then wheels the mower down the walkway and loads it onto their trailer before taking off.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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Beginning June 24, three certificates that cryptographically verify that each piece of firmware and software that loads during system boot will expire.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Amid rising travel costs, Nguyen prioritizes travel in her budget and cuts expenses elsewhere.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
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If the business stabilizes, cuts costs, sells an underperforming division, or improves capital allocation, the stock can re-rate quickly.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Verb
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Unless the energy powering data centers comes from clean energy sources, such as solar, wind or geothermal, generating that electricity also pollutes the air.—
Ed Maibach,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
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Meanwhile, the unceasing churn of clothing, footwear and accessories depletes soils, poisons the water, pollutes the air, drives deforestation, accelerates biodiversity loss and generates runaway planet-warming emissions that undermine brands’ lofty environmental ambitions.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
Verb
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If the state rules hold, an insurer using AI to price your annuity or your motor cover has to test that model for unfair effects and answer for it; if the rules fall, or freeze under federal pressure, that obligation thins out, and the model goes back to being a box only the insurer can see inside.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
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Instead a galaxy’s distribution of stars thins out farther from the center.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
29 May 2026
Verb
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While at Johns Hopkins, Roizman and two colleagues discovered the respiratory syncytial virus, which infects lungs and the respiratory tract.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
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While the Andes hantavirus infects a few dozen people every year in the Patagonian region of Argentina further north, it has never been detected in Ushuaia or the wider archipelago of Tierra del Fuego.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waters down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waters%20down. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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