wet 1 of 3

1
2
as in rainy
marked by or abounding with rain a wet and dreary day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wet

3 of 3

verb

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
After applying a disinfectant, the surfaces must stay wet for at least six minutes. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 July 2025 Tip: Another easy, nontoxic DIY ice pack option for kids' lunches is to freeze wet sponges in a reusable zip-top bag. Maryal Miller Carter, USA Today, 12 July 2025
Noun
Unfortunately, in the case of going to bed with wet (or even damp) hair, the downsides might outweigh the benefits. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2024 The j series adds a camera for obstacle avoidance, and higher-end models in that line like the Combo j9+ ($1,199.99) have a retractable mop to clean hardwood floors and carpeting in a single run without getting the latter wet. PCMAG, 8 Aug. 2024
Verb
Play at the lake, wet a line, wander through the woods or relax with your binoculars. Dalia Faheid, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2025 Gently wet their head, paws, belly and ears with cool (not cold) water. Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for wet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet
Adjective
  • For others, a pattern of cool, rainy spring weekends delayed planting!
    Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025
  • The break in rainy, stormy conditions comes after flash flooding continued to threaten recovery efforts through Wednesday night.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • For years across social media, fans have been convinced that the cast of Mamma Mia! were drunk on set due to ouzo, a Greek aperitif.
    Francesca Gariano, People.com, 19 July 2025
  • The crash occurred about 2½ years after Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III drove drunk at speeds up to 156 mph on a Las Vegas street and caused a fiery collision that killed a woman and her dog on Nov. 2, 2021.
    Cristian Santana, NBC news, 17 July 2025
Adjective
  • But just as she’s dragged back into the spotlight, her body begins to stage a quiet, sticky rebellion into a raw, absurd, and disturbingly relatable reckoning with art, womanhood, and the sheer chaos of being human.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 21 July 2025
  • Mercedes has this just about right, even with optional 22-inch AMG wheels shod with sticky high-performance Pirellis, as my test car was.
    Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • Those weak harvests, in turn, are due to drought and high temperatures and more generally climate change, which has negatively impacted coffee harvests for several years.
    Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 21 July 2025
  • It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially to older adults, people with weak immune systems, and pregnant women.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 21 July 2025
Noun
  • The city experienced over two inches of rain last night — its second-wettest single hour in recorded history.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 15 July 2025
  • Beginning on Sunday, July 6th, Tropical Storm Chantal dumped ten inches of rain across sections of central North Carolina.
    Jessica Pishko, New Yorker, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Often problems arise from short-term pollution, which can happen during heavy rainfall that washes waste from sewage plants into the water.
    Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2025
  • The worker then pointed across the lot to Norman — who was washing someone’s car, tending to his summer job, minding his business.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • While this rainfall is not expected to be as extreme as last weekend, the threshold for flash flooding to develop is lower due to the ground being very saturated from recent heavy rain in the region.
    Dan Peck, ABC News, 12 July 2025
  • The saturated ground means even minimal rainfall can trigger further flooding, complicating rescue efforts.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • Between May 1 and Oct. 2 of last year, the city dropped more than 250 domestic violence assault cases and more than 270 drunken driving cases due to an inability to meet the 120-day deadline Alaska sets for upholding a defendant’s right to a speedy trial.
    Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 11 July 2025
  • Jurors did convict her of a lesser charge: drunken driving, also called operating under the influence, or OUI.
    Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 10 July 2025

Cite this Entry

“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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