wet 1 of 3

adjective

ˈwet How to pronounce wet (audio)
Definition of wetnext
1
as in dripping
containing, covered with, or thoroughly penetrated by water I left the car windows open while it rained, and the seats got all wet

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2
as in rainy
marked by or abounding with rain a wet and dreary day

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3
as in drunk
being under the influence of alcohol designated a driver so the others could get wet and make it home safely at the end of the night

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4
as in sticky
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way things get more than a little wet during the opera's big death scene

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5
as in weak
British lacking strength of will or character employees of the company despised their boss as a wet and ineffectual bloke

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wet

2 of 3

noun

as in rain
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity winced as he walked out into the wet without any protection

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wet

3 of 3

verb

as in to wash
to make wet you need to wet your hair thoroughly first

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word wet distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of wet are damp, dank, humid, and moist. While all these words mean "covered or more or less soaked with liquid," wet usually implies saturation but may suggest a covering of a surface with water or something (such as paint) not yet dry.

slipped on the wet pavement

When is it sensible to use damp instead of wet?

The meanings of damp and wet largely overlap; however, damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture.

clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place

When can dank be used instead of wet?

While the synonyms dank and wet are close in meaning, dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness.

a prisoner in a cold, dank cell

Where would humid be a reasonable alternative to wet?

In some situations, the words humid and wet are roughly equivalent. However, humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air.

a hot, humid climate

In what contexts can moist take the place of wet?

The words moist and wet are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry.

treat the injury with moist heat

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 wet
Adjective
Drive at a reduced speed during wet weather. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025 Number one, maybe your soil stays too wet or too dry. —Steve Bender, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
Randy Tufts and Gary Tenen squeezed through a small opening in the Whetstone Mountains of southern Arizona and entered a magical subterranean world, an untouched wet, living cave. —Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025 That’s because, as a general rule, a cordless wet-dry vacuum is only designed for hard floors, and maybe lightweight throw rugs. —Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
Increase the resistance on this exercise by wetting the towel first. —Aubrey Bailey, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2025 Update irrigation The goal of irrigation is to wet plant roots. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet
  1. dripping
  2. rainy
  3. drunk
  4. sticky
  5. weak
  6. rain
  7. wash
  8. saturated
Adjective
  • But unleash the foley artists (sound designers), and the flora's dripping slime and ominous pulsing are infinitely more threatening, as a soldier learns to fatal cost later in the season.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Andrés was standing there, slightly out of breath, dripping seawater.
    — Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
Definition of dripping
Adjective
  • Neither Alec Baldwin nor his younger brother Stephen Baldwin, who was a passenger in the Range Rover, was injured in the crash on a rainy Monday afternoon on Montauk Highway, East Hampton.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The rains were triggered by the convergence of two tropical storms churning off Mexico’s western coast, striking at the end of an unusually heavy rainy season that has left rivers overflowing and hillsides weakened.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Definition of rainy
Adjective
  • The woman, who is five-months pregnant, explained on the community forum Mumsnet that she was left looking after her 4-year-old son at a wedding after her husband decided to get drunk at the wedding party.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Meanwhile, Malcolm is only getting drunker and more sullen as the reception progresses.
    — Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of drunk
Adjective
  • Blot wet spills instead of rubbing, and vacuum crumbs and dirt, which can be abrasive and weaken fibers, become ground into the carpet, and cause a sticky residue if left for too long.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The bee mushroom, which is hairy and striped like a bee, turns Mario into bee Mario, who can fly and climb on sticky honey walls.
    — Matt Kasson, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2025
Definition of sticky
Adjective
  • What has changed is that higher ed itself is arguably weaker than ever.
    — Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
  • In fact, weather models vary widely on how strong Lorenzo could get in the coming days, ranging from a weak tropical storm to a Category 2 hurricane, the hurricane center said.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
Definition of weak
Noun
  • Keep scrolling to shop more rain boots on sale at Amazon.
    — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Guest rooms are a chic combination of old world charm and modern luxury, with generously sized marble bathrooms with heated floors and rain showers.
    — Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 18 Oct. 2025
Definition of rain
Verb
  • About two dozen people gathered at the town council meeting on October 16 to voice concern and distress about drinking, bathing in or washing their clothes in the yellow, brown water as the public comment period stretched over an hour.
    — Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 17 Oct. 2025
  • An employee reportedly washed and dried a container but did not sanitize it.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Definition of wash
Adjective
  • Liver Liver is an organ meat that contains more saturated fat than poultry or fish.
    — Merve Ceylan, Health, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Bold hues are the name of the game, whether this means going for the kind of saturated, chili pepper–adjacent red that flooded the runways of labels like Ferragamo or embracing autumn’s fascination with all things deep purple, courtesy of an earrings pair that pays homage to the humble eggplant.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2025
Definition of saturated

Phrases Containing wet

Browse Nearby Words

westerly
wet
wet behind the ears
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Cite this Entry

“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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