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

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
Across the 450-year window his team analyzed, eastern equatorial Africa was already sliding from a warmer, wetter regime into a cooler, drier one, tracking a natural cooling trend recorded in Greenland ice. Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 9 Aug. 2026 There were firearms in the house and plastic garbage bags, bleach, Lysol, and wet tools in a trailer outside. Nikki Battiste, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
The biggest advantage, however, may be that the feedstock goes in wet, removing the drying stage could cut both energy use and cost. New Atlas, 1 July 2026 The fillets should be a little damp, but not soaking wet. Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2026
Verb
While the salmon-rich Naknek River runs directly past town, floatplanes also ferry fishermen to wet a line in far-flung, glacially fed streams. Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 1 Aug. 2026 Reduce irrigation to only once or twice a week to wet the soil to help control this problem. Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for wet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet
Adjective
  • Flavorizer bars sit between the grates and fuel source and catch dripping fat.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Gently squeeze out any excess water so the hair is damp rather than dripping.
    Anya Meyerowitz, Glamour, 2 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • But an outdoor garden, no matter how beautiful and lovingly designed or how innovatively used in the menu, is susceptible to the whims of Miami’s humid, rainy, extraordinarily lengthy summers.
    Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Students who took the stand described a heated exchange over Anthony’s refusal on a rainy spring day to leave a tent that belonged to Metcalf’s team.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • In the post-Potter years, Radcliffe has spoken about turning to alcohol, describing how getting drunk publicly ultimately led him to pursue sobriety in 2010.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Last year, research from a watchdog group found that ChatGPT would tell 13-year-olds how to get drunk and high, instruct them on how to conceal eating disorders and even compose a heartbreaking suicide letter to their parents if asked.
    Barbara Ortutay, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • No pomp, no circumstance, no celebrity— this is the sticky ground floor of the nation’s country music scene.
    Jacqueline Kehoe, Midwest Living, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Glazed baby back ribs, satisfyingly sticky and spiced with gochujang, come smothered with melting mozzarella for crazy long cheese pulls on Chicago-style, falling-off-the-bone pork.
    Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The Commerce Department released a report Friday showing weak retail sales in July.
    CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Following his coach and uncle Toni’s advice, Nadal finally beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2008, breaking Federer’s Open-Era-record five-year winning streak on grass, by playing high balls to Federer’s back hand, his weak point.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The two tornadoes started as tornadic waterspouts and were spotted off the coast of Far Rockaway and in Atlantic Beach on Long Island as Thursday’s torrential rain forced officials to close highways across the city.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Photos and video shared on social media show debris thrown in the air and pummeling rain as a possible tornado touched down at Atlantic Beach on Long Island's outer barrier.
    CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Oliver has been away from Buffalo's facility for periods this summer in the aftermath of his son, also named Ed, drowning in June at a residential pool in Houston.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • North American carrier upgrade cycles align perfectly with Apple's September calendar, channelling extensive marketing support and customer upgrades towards the new iPhone, effectively drowning out rival Android flagships.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats and eating more soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol.
    Brandi Jones, Verywell Health, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Bologna or salami, for example, can contain more saturated fat.
    Anna Dilger, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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