wet 1 of 3

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
Poor drainage can lead to root rot, especially if your lavender is planted in an area with wet or clay-heavy soil. Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025 Do not approach water, wet objects, or metal items. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
Still this wick-wet road, this wax. Courtney Kampa, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2025 Not with crisp, clean bedding but with your sheet coming out of the dryer balled up in your duvet cover, still soaking wet. Reuven Perlman, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
Increase the resistance on this exercise by wetting the towel first. Aubrey Bailey, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2025 Update irrigation The goal of irrigation is to wet plant roots. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet
Adjective
  • Think of the harms of erratic schedules akin to the way dripping water can erode stone.
    Allison Aubrey, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
  • In a post dripping with arrogance, Lynch dished out demeaning nicknames for her recent opponents.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Amazon Unlike Brazil’s major cities, where the action ramps up in summer, the Amazon starts to quiet down in large part because of the arrival of the rainy season, which is at its peak from December to March.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
  • While spring is the most popular climbing season, as weather is favorable on tall peaks, hundreds of foreign climbers come to climb smaller peaks during the autumn, between the rainy monsoon months and winter.
    Manish Paudel, NBC news, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • But marijuana consumption has gone up at the same time that alcohol consumption has gone down, and the qualitative differences between being high and being drunk translate to differences in social behavior.
    Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Eilert is soon drunk and distraught over seemingly losing his manuscript, and Hedda tells her ex-lover to kill himself.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Next, add the pumpkin and peanut butter and blend until the mixture is sticky.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
  • At the heart of this first of what could be many such trials is the premise that social media and its algorithms and sticky attraction have harsh consequences of thoughts of suicide, depression, sleep disruption, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and anxiety.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The company attributed the decline to weak demand, shifting some shipments to Q4 and an unfavorable mix.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 3 Nov. 2025
  • It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially to older adults, people with weak immune systems and pregnant women.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, Freep.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The Rockies and Plains could see light snow, while Texas could see fair conditions, followed by rain, according to the forecast.
    Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Haiti’s Office of Civil Protection said flooding of the Saint Martin River caused by heavy rains also destroyed a bridge in Saint Suzanne in the northeast region of Haiti.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • When the bodies of the drowned are retrieved, they’re sent to Alexandroupoli to be identified.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • In an effort to save their relationship, Smith drowned her two young sons.
    Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • This eating plan focuses on foods with a variety of nutrients such as green leafy vegetables, fish and whole grains that are beneficial for cognitive function and don’t include ones with high amounts of trans and saturated fats.
    Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Flow Space, 7 Nov. 2025
  • With traditional entertainment, games, TikTok, GenAI, and more competing for fans’ attention, audiences seem more saturated than ever before.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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