dilute
Americanverb (used with object)
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dilutes,
present (3rd person singular)
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diluted,
past participle, past
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diluting
present participle
verb (used without object)
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dilutes,
present (3rd person singular)
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diluted,
past participle, past
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diluting
present participle
adjective
verb
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to make or become less concentrated, esp by adding water or a thinner
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to make or become weaker in force, effect, etc
he diluted his story
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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diluteenoun
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diluternoun
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dilutornoun
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overdiluteverb
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antidilutiveadjective
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dilutiveadjective
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undiluteadjective
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undilutedadjective
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undilutingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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dilutesimple
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dilutessimple
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have dilutedperfect
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has dilutedperfect
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am dilutingprogressive
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are dilutingprogressive
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is dilutingprogressive
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have been dilutingperfect progressive
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has been dilutingperfect progressive
Past
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dilutedsimple
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had dilutedperfect
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was dilutingprogressive
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were dilutingprogressive
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had been dilutingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dilute
1545–55; < Latin dīlūtus washed away, dissolved (past participle of dīluere ), equivalent to dī- di- 2 + -lūtus, combining form of lautus ( lav ( ere ) to wash + -tus past participle suffix)
Explanation
When you dilute something, you make it thinner, weaker, or more watered down. If you put lots of ice cubes in your soda, the ice will melt and dilute the drink. Think about diluting as lessening the quality but increasing the quantity. Unless you're diluting a really strong drink to make it taste better or diluting heavy paint to get a lighter shade — then the quality actually improves. Quipped President John F. Kennedy, “Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hour vocabulary.”
Vocabulary lists containing dilute
Word Generation Science - Introductory Chemistry Concepts
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Margaret Chase Smith's "Declaration of Conscience" (1950)
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The Chocolate War
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A share-based deal could dilute earnings and dividends per share, he reckons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
But don’t let the relatable career-girl pluck of the movie dilute the fact that this song is pissed off about capitalism, even as its hooks make the grind of working life more bearable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
"We believe that these changes will... help dilute the effect of a mobilised block vote, without compromising fairness or trust," according to the letter, which was first reported by Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, external.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
When the wine was of poor quality or the weather hot, soldiers would dilute -- or "spritzen" or spray in German -- their drink with sparkling water.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
“We have to overwhelm the nymphs with fresh water, give them more than they can use. If we can dilute this poisonous stuff—” “Can your horn do that?”
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
In adapting the premise for TV, series creator Nick Antosca dilutes the movies’ naked menace by pouring reasonable doubt into both Max’s profile and that of the Bowdens, the married lawyers behind his downfall.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
Investors also aren’t thrilled with the impact of the company’s capital raising—most recently $550 million External link from entities connected with the Saudi Public Investment Fund—which dilutes the value of existing shareholders’ stock.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
Only firms in desperate need of cash sell more shares when their valuations are low, because it dilutes existing shareholders and trashes the share price.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
Led by Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall and featuring a quirky cast of characters, Peacock’s horror-comedy mystery series dilutes some the suspense but it’s still a good time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 8, 2026
In these countries the snow remains long upon the ground; it filters through its least solid parts, which it penetrates to a great depth, and which it dilutes and breaks down.
From History of the Expedition to Russia Undertaken by the Emperor Napoleon in the Year 1812 by Philippe-Paul, comte de Ségur
Culture evolves, she says, and practices can be diluted or corrupted and she is showing what has happened to this one.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Others argued the feature had already been diluted when Bumble introduced "Opening Moves" - a feature allowing women to set a pre-written prompt for men to respond to.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The company guided for third-quarter revenue of between $1.135 billion and $1.145 billion and adjusted earnings per share of between 63 cents and 65 cents, assuming approximately 378 million weighted average diluted shares outstanding.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
The potential benefits of coffee, however, can be diluted or eliminated by the stuff many people add to it, the authors said, like sugar, syrups and creamers with a lot of saturated fat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
The milk carton was almost empty, but if she diluted what was left with a little warm water there was just enough for a saucerful.
From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke
Experts say the test for Airbnb going forward will be driving growth in its travel offerings without diluting the “travel like a local” identity that brought the company to prominence.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
The move solves an immediate headache by covering Strategy’s preferred dividend obligations, but it does so through the painful, if familiar, route of diluting common shareholders.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
At the same time, the rapid rise of third-party delivery apps has flooded the market with alternative options, diluting Pizza Hut's historic dominance.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
Alphabet’s shift triggered speculation that other tech giants would follow suit, diluting their existing shareholders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
We could cure Daoud right now, or we could try to save more people—like my parents—by conserving every drop and diluting it....But in doing so, we might end up with nothing.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
