watered-down

American  

[waw-terd-daun, wot-erd-] / ˈwɔ tərdˈdaʊn, ˈwɒt ərd- /

adjective

1. made weaker or less effective from or as from dilution with water.

   a watered-down cocktail; Spectators saw a watered-down version of the famous opera.

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Etymology

Origin of watered-down

First recorded in 1895–1900

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

watered-down

Oschin’s scalelike steel panels, albeit part of a smart, efficient structural solution, inevitably read as a watered-down redux of Frank Gehry’s Bilbao-era work.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

Despite the watered-down price, Shein’s IPO is set to be one of the biggest in Hong Kong this year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

Despite the watered-down draft, the resolution is unlikely to be adopted by the consensus seen in 2024, according to diplomatic sources, who expect at least one state to call for a vote on the matter.

From Barron's ● May 18, 2026

Serkis’ “Animal Farm” wastes no time confirming suspicions that it’s a watered-down version of Orwell’s dystopic classic.

From Salon ● May 3, 2026

Now, he couldn’t help thinking that Octavian looked like a watered-down, unhealthy version of Will Solace - like a photo that had been copied too many times.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

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