wet

1 of 3

adjective

wetter; wettest
1
a
: consisting of, containing, covered with, or soaked with liquid (such as water)
b
of natural gas : containing appreciable quantities of readily condensable hydrocarbons
2
: rainy
wet weather
3
: still moist enough to smudge or smear
wet paint
4
a
: drunk sense 1a
a wet driver
b
: having or advocating a policy permitting the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages
a wet county
a wet candidate
5
: preserved in liquid
6
: employing or done by means of or in the presence of water or other liquid
wet extraction of copper
7
: overly sentimental
8
British
a
: lacking strength of character : weak, spineless
b
: belonging to the moderate or liberal wing of the Conservative party
wetly adverb
wetness noun

wet

2 of 3

noun

1
: water
also : moisture, wetness
2
: rainy weather : rain
3
: an advocate of a policy of permitting the sale of intoxicating liquors
4
British : one who is wet

wet

3 of 3

verb

wet or wetted; wetting

transitive verb

1
: to make wet
2
: to urinate in or on
wet his pants

intransitive verb

1
: to become wet
2
Phrases
all wet
: completely wrong : in error
wet behind the ears wet one's whistle
: to take a drink especially of liquor
Choose the Right Synonym for wet

wet, damp, dank, moist, humid 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

damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture.

clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place

dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness.

a prisoner in a cold, dank cell

moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry.

treat the injury with moist heat

humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air.

a hot, humid climate

Examples of wet in a Sentence

Adjective a pile of wet clothes Be careful not to slip on the wet floor. My hair is still wet. My shoes got wet when I stepped in the puddle. The grass was wet with dew. Don't touch the paint. It's still wet. Noun We stayed out in the wet all afternoon. winced as he walked out into the wet without any protection Verb I wet a sponge under the faucet. Avoid wetting the leaves when you water the plant. The morning dew had wet his shoes. The little boy accidentally wet his pants. I laughed so hard I almost wet myself.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Rapid cooling zones must be available for each outdoor athletic and marching band contest, practice, workout, or conditioning session that is held in wet bulb globe temperatures of 80 degrees or higher. Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024 Much of eastern Wisconsin is expected to see its first snowfall of the season on Thursday, with two to four inches of wet, heavy snow possible, according to the National Weather Service. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
Unfortunately, in the case of going to bed with wet (or even damp) hair, the downsides might outweigh the benefits. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2024 The j series adds a camera for obstacle avoidance, and higher-end models in that line like the Combo j9+ ($1,199.99) have a retractable mop to clean hardwood floors and carpeting in a single run without getting the latter wet. PCMAG, 8 Aug. 2024
Verb
The iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ is a versatile robot vacuum and mop that effectively cleans a variety of surfaces without wetting carpets, thanks to its retractable mop. Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024 Yes How to use: After dampening the face and applying cleanser, wet the Foreo device and turn it on using the universal button. Jenny Berg, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wet 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, partly from past participle of weten to wet & partly from Old English wǣt wet; akin to Old Norse vātr wet, Old English wæter water

Verb

Middle English weten, from Old English wǣtan, from wǣt, adjective

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wet was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near wet

Cite this Entry

“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wet. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

wet

1 of 3 adjective
wetter; wettest
1
: containing, covered with, or soaked with liquid (as water)
2
: rainy
wet weather
3
: not yet dry
wet paint
wetly adverb
wetness noun

wet

2 of 3 noun
1
2
3
: rainy weather : rain

wet

3 of 3 verb
wet or wetted; wetting
1
: to make or become wet
2
: to urinate in or on
wet his pants

Medical Definition

wet

adjective
: marked by the presence or abundance of fluid (as secretions or effusions)
the wet form of age-related macular degeneration

More from Merriam-Webster on wet

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