as in to wet
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
moisten the cloth before cleaning with it
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Recent Examples of moisten
Each package comes with a packet of coarse salt, and the instructions say to moisten the surface with water, shower on a little (or a lot) of salt, and warm the pretzel twists in a 350°F before diving in.
—
Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2025
For any type of cabinet, a soft cloth lightly moistened with soapy water should do the job effectively.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2025
Besides water to moisten the mix, have a pan of water on hand that’s big enough to rinse your soil-blocker in occasionally, so it doesn’t get clogged.
—Margaret Roach Stacey Cramp, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Add the dry ingredients and stir with a silicone spatula until evenly moistened; the mixture will be dryish and thick.
—Christopher Kimball, The Denver Post, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for moisten
Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2025
For any type of cabinet, a soft cloth lightly moistened with soapy water should do the job effectively.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2025
Besides water to moisten the mix, have a pan of water on hand that’s big enough to rinse your soil-blocker in occasionally, so it doesn’t get clogged.
—Margaret Roach Stacey Cramp, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Add the dry ingredients and stir with a silicone spatula until evenly moistened; the mixture will be dryish and thick.
—Christopher Kimball, The Denver Post, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for moisten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moisten
Verb
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Diagnosis Exams typically begin with a thorough medical history because there is a genetic component to wet AMD, and other health factors can raise your risk.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
7 Apr. 2025
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Serve Use a lime wedge to wet the rim and the side of the bottle.—
Katlyn Moncada,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Increase Air Circulation and Humidity Place a small fan near the seed starting area to keep the air moving and reduce damping off, a common fungal disease.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Apr. 2025
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According to the brand, apply to damp hair in a zig-zag motion, focusing on mid-lengths to ends.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Leave-ins offer lightweight moisture, detangling, and frizz control, while traditional conditioners deliver deeper hydration that’s typically rinsed out.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
24 Apr. 2025
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How To Use the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask Forget your usual lather, rinse, repeat, and condition routine.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Reynolds’ colleagues found 97% of people had never washed them, and many were contaminated by bacteria, including E. coli, from foods like raw meats and produce.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
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One of the incidents involved a mother and son whose vehicle was washed into a creek and later wedged against a drainage pipe, police told CNN affiliate KOCO.—
Matthew Rehbein,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Admittedly, Trump’s trade war has dampened the steady growth of the fledgling beauty brand.—
Bianca Salonga,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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Editors’ Picks How an American Sign Language Artist Spends Their Sundays The start-and-stop nature of the rollout of tariffs has also roiled the stock market and dampened consumer confidence as people have hunkered down.—
Ken Belson,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Toilets release a plume into the air when they’re flushed.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
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Drain and flush again before refilling with fresh water for use.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Moisten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moisten. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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