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
For now, residents are advised to plan for changing conditions throughout Easter Sunday, and to keep rain gear close by as a wetter pattern settles in for the week ahead. —Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026 The determined plant can grow in many conditions, including sun or shade and wet or dry soil, displacing native species, disrupting local ecosystems, and even degrading riverbanks. —Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
Yes, when diluted and used with a damp cloth, not soaking wet. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026 The restaurant was in violation of 10 standards, including containers of uncovered food and dishes stacked wet. —Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
Considerations Before Getting Started Before cleaning your sidewalks, gather some basic safety equipment such as gloves and eye protection, and protect plants and grass bordering your sidewalk from bleach and cleaners by wetting them down and covering them with plastic sheeting or old towels. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026 In either case, wet the potting medium and make a hole before inserting the cutting. —Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 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
  • The camera returned one more time to show the mom placing a second spoon into her cup and wiping off excess dripping from the sides with a napkin.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Everything, from the chassis, the frame, swingarm, subframe, and wheels, is dripping in carbon fiber.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of dripping
Adjective
  • After a rainy Easter Sunday in Maryland, temperatures will drop below normal for the next few days.
    — Rachael Jay, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The mighty tiny shellear from Africa The shellear fish (Parakneria thysi) begins its ascent up the vertical wall of the falls in the splash zone at the end of the rainy season (April-May).
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 5 Apr. 2026
Definition of rainy
Adjective
  • Never before has every half-drunk joke, every stumble of language, been so on the record; never before has the moral climate been so skittish — so quick to litigate tone, ignore intent and presume motive.
    — Robert Lynch, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The next summer, he was removed from a flight at LAX before takeoff while drunk and vomiting, having been seen earlier slamming beer and whiskey in the Delta Airlines lounge.
    — Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of drunk
Adjective
  • Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that is slightly sticky, 5 minutes.
    — Emily Teel, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Some scrapers feature a curved tip for working with sticky ingredients.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of sticky
Adjective
  • The slide appears to have involved a thick slab of soft snow breaking loose at a weak layer in the snowpack, the report said.
    — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Endowed not only with a privileged birthright but—unlike the actual princes over in England, who had weak chins and went bald young—the physical stature to match?
    — Jeffrey Eugenides, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of weak
Noun
  • The rain will start to clear out Sunday evening as the front moves through and begins to usher in drier, but cooler temperatures for next week.
    — Bill Kelly, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • All of them caught the TPC San Antonio in benign conditions with very little wind, and morning rain that not only softened the course but led officials to allow for preferred lies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of rain
Verb
  • Eclipses give solar scientists a rare chance to study the sun's wispy outer atmosphere, or corona, which is usually drowned out by the overwhelming glare of the solar disk.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 5 Apr. 2026
  • When the Huskies took the court here, they were booed roundly and Hurley’s postgame interview with CBS was nearly drowned by the catcalls.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Definition of drown
Adjective
  • Their quality, richly saturated and startlingly clear, transformed the market for the stone worldwide and earned Sauer widespread plaudits for both championing their use and stretching the definition of what an emerald could do.
    — Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2026
  • These glazes result in the gorgeous, deeply saturated colors zellige tiles are known for, but that color comes with a downside.
    — Heather Bien, Martha Stewart, 31 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 9 Apr. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wet

Nglish: Translation of wet for Spanish Speakers

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