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 drown
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

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
Most domestic cats prefer warm, dry environments because their ancestors evolved in desert climates, making cold and wet conditions uncomfortable. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026 Expect to get wet, but thankfully, guests are provided with colorful rain ponchos before their boat tour. —Jamie Spain, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
Despite a wet and, in some places, snowy start to the week, Southern Californians can expect sunshine and clearer skies by Friday, with temperatures in the mid-60s by Saturday. —Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026 Most people opt for a frost or shimmer finish over a juicy gloss—think silky as opposed to wet—but a topcoat of clear glitter gloss can have a similar effect. —Grace McCarty, Glamour, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
Simply wet your Makeup Eraser and put it to work. —Tory Johnson, ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026 Also, wetting the peel before storage may encourage mold growth. —Hannah Harper, Health, 21 Feb. 2026 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. drown
  8. saturated
Adjective
  • There’s a fabulous art deco bar, dripping chandeliers, and gold chinoiserie wallpaper by Timorous Beasties.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Another late work, Color Wheel, 2018–19, comprises a group of thirty massive canvases arranged in a circle, each a vivid, monochromatic shade atop which has been painted a single, dripping bar of complementary hue.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of dripping
Adjective
  • The beetles take advantage of the fact that the construction workers who finished the house just a few months earlier miscalculated and left too much space between the doors and the ground, failing to consider insects or the rainy season.
    — María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Fire trucks lined up outside a funeral home in Chicago’s southwest suburbs on a gray and rainy Tuesday morning for the funeral of Michael Altman, a Chicago firefighter who died while working to put out a Rogers Park fire earlier this month.
    — Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of rainy
Adjective
  • When Robby races into the room, our drunk country clubber is being restrained, and his nose is bleeding.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Meet Keoma Duarte, age 41, accused of vehicular homicide of a local cop while driving drunk.
    — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of drunk
Adjective
  • Equal parts creature feature and Florida noir, Mermaid is sticky, sunburned, and defiantly strange.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Maurer imagines blending the fungi with Martian or lunar dirt; their sticky mycelia would cement it into an extraterrestrial equivalent of particle board.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of sticky
Adjective
  • An atmospheric river should track across California, even into southern California, by Tuesday, March 31, but is currently forecast to remain too weak to cause flooding issues, the WPC said.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
  • At the hospital in Dollow, mothers sat shoulder to shoulder on narrow beds holding frail children, some too weak to cry while others let out soft whimpers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of weak
Noun
  • More light rain is expected during the afternoon as temperatures plunge.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Heavy rain can supercharge invasive grasses, crowding out the blooms.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of rain
Verb
  • The Project’s participants were instructed to fight one another and endure simulated drowning, among other humiliations and discomforts, while remaining awake for most of three days.
    — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Authorities alleged Goldberg followed her and tried to drown her before a bystander intervened.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Definition of drown
Adjective
  • Conditions in Kauai have improved significantly, but authorities encourage people to exercise caution near streams and low-lying areas as grounds remain saturated.
    — Jen Murphy, Outside, 24 Mar. 2026
  • The color combos of hyper-saturated and nearly neon lilac, fuchsia, peach, and the like.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2026
Definition of saturated

Phrases Containing wet

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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 2 Apr. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wet

Nglish: Translation of wet for Spanish Speakers

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