as in to dilute
to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances
watered down the cocktails while jacking up their prices
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of water down
Critics of 243 argued it was watered down significantly after industry input.
—
Kate Wolffe
october 13, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025
That appeared to work out once again with his threats to China over rare earth exports later watered down online, Woods said.
—Alex Harring,sarah Min, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2025
Swift simply refuses to pass this baton, and her kung fu grip on pop’s crown handicapped this record and watered down her best qualities.
—Bianca Davino, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
In one passage, the cameras follow water down a shower drain and into a cavernous subterranean universe; in another, Mike tumbles through a sky of stars.
—Carrie Battan, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for water down
Kate Wolffe
october 13, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025
That appeared to work out once again with his threats to China over rare earth exports later watered down online, Woods said.
—Alex Harring,sarah Min, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2025
Swift simply refuses to pass this baton, and her kung fu grip on pop’s crown handicapped this record and watered down her best qualities.
—Bianca Davino, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
In one passage, the cameras follow water down a shower drain and into a cavernous subterranean universe; in another, Mike tumbles through a sky of stars.
—Carrie Battan, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for water down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for water down
Verb
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Americano Americano is a shot of espresso that’s diluted with hot water, resulting in a smoother and more balanced flavor.—
Laura Schober,
Health,
23 Oct. 2025
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While bleach should never be used at full-strength on any floors, it can be diluted and used on concrete, tile, and sometimes vinyl.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But if the government doesn't reopen soon, these cards will not be loaded.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Three Jays pushed runs across with the bases loaded in the sixth.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At Dilara Findikoglu, models looked like ladies in waiting that had risen from the dead; wearing antiquated corsetry that was dirtied and torn.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
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As more success suddenly comes his way, McKinstry has remained the same, friendly and chuckling at his locker, dirtying his jersey and pestering opponents on the field.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Overall, the inflation data likely add fuel to expectations that the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by another quarter percentage point at its policy meeting later this month - its second consecutive cut.—
NPR,
NPR,
25 Oct. 2025
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Superstar Shohei Ohtani launched a two-run shot to cut the lead down to 11-4, but the momentum still appeared to be on the Blue Jays' side in a raucous Rogers Centre.—
Gabe Smallson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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All of this is brought to us through data centers that consume vast amounts of water and pollute Black neighborhoods in cities like Memphis.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
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The attorney general’s office said that plastic retail bags comprise much of the waste that is polluting California’s ecosystems and clogging its waterways.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Leawood police fielded nearly 400 food-poisoning complaints and conducted about 130 interviews, a volume that briefly crashed the department’s records system, according to the Johnson County Post, KSHB 41 and KCTV5.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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Chloe then baked a cake poisoned with oleander leaves killing the owner’s wife and some children.—
Noreen Kompanik,
Boston Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Healthy people infected with salmonella may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.—
Eva Wen,
jsonline.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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Some ferrets that drank contaminated raw milk became infected, but those that ate contaminated raw milk cheese did not.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Water down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/water%20down. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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