wet 1 of 3

Definition of wetnext
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as in rainy
marked by or abounding with rain a wet and dreary day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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

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
In the Boise area, roads might just get wet. David Staats, Idaho Statesman, 16 Feb. 2026 Thanks to an exceptionally wet December, death cap mushrooms — or Amanita phalloides — have proliferated along the Central Coast and in Northern California. Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
Duff wears a soaking wet and therefore completely sheer butter yellow dress in the video. Emma Banks, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026 Golden Steer Steakhouse The Golden Steer Steakhouse has been dishing out quality chops (wet-aged for 35 days) and seafood staples since 1958. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2025
Verb
In several cases described in court declarations, children — including some with developmental delays or chronic conditions — regressed while they were detained, losing language skills, wetting themselves or engaging in self-harm. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026 Make sure all surfaces are wetted and there are no air bubbles trapped between layers. Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet
Adjective
  • The bathrooms are dripping in pink Portuguese marble, and there’s plenty of space to unwind in between treatments.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Otherwise, there would be a dripping from a cut from above, possibly from the hands or face.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • London, United Kingdom — On a rainy afternoon in London, Yin Xiuzhen sits under a canopy of red, pink, purple and orange garments stretched over a steel frame.
    Precious Adesina, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
  • During the rainy season in 2025, city leaders were late to establish the pump trucks, only doing so after several businesses had already flooded.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Lyman recalled a massive weekend in Long Beach with 80,000 attendees that resulted in only one arrest—a drunk fan who took Ice-T’s lyrics too literally and started shouting at the police.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
  • California remains a dairy powerhouse, with one in every five glass of milk drunk in this country coming from California dairy business.
    Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Neighbor disputes can be sticky, and the one between Fort Worth, Aledo and Willow Park is no exception.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide Even with regular cleaning, the grids on a waffle maker will develop an oily, sticky residue after a period of time.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The past four years of conflict have exposed more than one faulty assumption, not least the previously widespread belief even among Kyiv’s allies that Ukraine would be too weak, too disorganized, to resist a full-scale invasion.
    Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Continue reading … PARTY RECKONING — Cortez Masto admits Democrats have been 'weak on immigration,' chides Biden.
    , FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • As the rain lessened, the wind increased, making holes 12 to 16 particularly challenging.
    Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
  • The weather service said in its forecast temperatures are expected to rise Sunday before rain returns to the Sacramento Valley on Monday.
    Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Plus, all the discourse surrounding the performance could easily drown out the subtlety of Ford’s inclusion.
    Jamie L. LaReau, USA Today, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Louie’s drinking was a way to drown his grief.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • With a saturated market of cuts, collars, and cotton weights, the search requires a curious eye.
    Minty Mellon, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Hues like blush and dusty rose pair well with sandy neutrals, soft grays, and even more saturated colors like teal and fuchsia.
    Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 6 Feb. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

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