wet 1 of 3

Definition of wetnext
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2
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
When mixture is a good consistency, neither too wet nor too dry, stir in whipping cream, salt and pepper. Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026 Bring the person into a warm area, remove any wet clothes, wrap them in anything warm like blankets and call 9-1-1. Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
Try the ribeye, wet-aged in its own enzymatic juices, which allows for a tender steak. Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Dec. 2025 Only Earth remains as a wet, living world. Big Think, 27 Nov. 2025
Verb
For suede boots, wet the entire surface with the vinegar and water solution to help keep the color even. Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026 Van Assche got his toes wet post-graduation by working as Hedi Slimane’s assistant at Yves Saint Laurent. Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet
Adjective
  • Keep your water faucets dripping, wrap your pipes in minimally heated areas with piping insulation, and leave doors open to allow heat to flow through your home.
    Kaicey Baylor, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
  • While Earth’s atmosphere is dripping wet, that moisture isn’t an infinite resource.
    Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The workers previously held a five-day walkout, with marches and picket lines in rainy weather, in October.
    James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
  • On rainy and high tide days, the track and baseball field nearby can get submerged in ankle deep water as the river overtops the old seawall.
    Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • These conversations might surprise those who think of unhoused men and women as not too bright, drunk or somehow lesser.
    Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
  • And in Utah, judges are now allowed to ban you from buying alcohol if you get caught driving while extremely drunk.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • From a nervous system perspective, this makes the pattern especially sticky.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The formula melts into the skin in seconds and doesn’t feel sticky or heavy.
    Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Trump has directed his ire toward the Department of Labor agency ever since former Commissioner Erika McEntarfer authorized the release of a weak jobs report last summer.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Procedures harden, decision paths lengthen, and people wait for permission rather than acting on weak signals from the environment.
    Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, with snow and heavy rain that trigger flash floods that often kill dozens, or even hundreds, of people at a time.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
  • These storms begin as minor or average storms and then go through a rapid, explosive intensification, delivering heavy snow, blizzards, thundersnow, coastal flooding and flooding rains.
    Tammie Souza, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Rural voters on the Eastern Shore don’t want their voices drowned out by Democrats forced into their district from the suburbs of Central Maryland.
    Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2026
  • Whitney died suddenly in February 2012, having accidentally drowned in a hotel room a day before the Grammy Awards.
    Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • As a boutique focused on scalable, distinctive tentpole drama, pairing top-tier talent with powerful and unique IP provides the crucial edge to cut through the noise of a saturated market, offering partners and viewers the reassurance of high-end quality.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Over the course of minutes or hours, this arc can grow and move until a substorm sparks; that’s when the lights are at their boldest and most saturated.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 27 Jan. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

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