wet 1 of 3

Definition of wetnext
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

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

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
Using an Analog Rytm saturator and a few choice plug-ins, Luke Fenton approaches sung snippets like wet clay, endlessly moldable with a little osmosis. Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026 Hydroplaning is the term for when a vehicle begins sliding uncontrollably on wet roads. Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
Volunteers would meet every wet, rainy evening as soon as spring starts, fan out along the road by the forest and collect frogs from the roadside, then carry them safely across to the marshes. ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026 This is the best that West has ever looked, including every shirtless scene and every time he’s gotten out of the pool dripping wet. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
To use a melamine sponge to get rid of stubborn stains, simply wet the sponge lightly and get scrubbing. Aliyah Rodriguez, The Spruce, 8 Apr. 2026 Then hose it down with a garden hose to fully wet the rug. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet
Adjective
  • First, in your home, be sure to repair toilets or sinks that keep running, dripping, or leaking.
    Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
  • It’s called ‘Spiral’ and it’s set in 1980s Ireland and dripping in folklore, repression and the strangeness of the Irish countryside.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • These storms may represent the last of SoCal’s rainy season, which typically ends in April.
    Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Expect to see surgeonfish, blue tang, moorish idols, plus whale shark and manta rays in the May-September rainy season.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Those who are caught routinely speeding in school zones are not any less dangerous than those who drive drunk.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Ward had previously spent two days in jail after suffocating her 2-month-old son while drunk and high.
    Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The worry looming over the economy Earlier this month, Dimon had also warned in his shareholder letter that the war in Iran risks oil and commodity price shocks that could keep inflation sticky and push interest rates higher than the market now expects.
    USA Today, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Apollo chief economist Torsten Slok has warned the combination of tariffs, sticky inflation, and slowing growth can create a stagflation-like setup, one that would be hostile to both markets and consumers.
    Tristan Bove, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Viel made a weak pass that led to the goal but had a strong hit on McDavid in the opening 20 minutes as well.
    Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
  • With the uncertainty caused by the war with Iran, the price of oil going through the roof, and tariffs complicating company supply chains, analysts expected the labor market to get weaker.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • With all the rain this past storm season, should Angelenos sit back and do nothing?
    Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Spring rains and winter snowmelt have swelled rivers and lakes, forcing torrents of water through Cheboygan County communities on its way to Lake Huron.
    Sarah Brumfield, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Esa Lindell, Heiskanen’s primary partner, has been drowning at five-on-five, and the Stars have been outscored 5-0 with him on the ice.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Some appear to be cordially greeting viewers with a wave, while others evince the desperation of a person drowning.
    Dawn Chan, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • An especially visually striking debut, Mosquitoes exists in a saturated hyperreality that is consummately engrossing, and announces the Bertani sisters as formidable portraitists of girlhood cast against the backdrop of an alternately beautiful and oppressive world.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
  • As battlefields become ever more saturated with drones and skilled FPV pilots, helicopter crews will need to assume drones could come for them from any angle at any time.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.

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