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• wet blanket
  wet blanket

  noun

  a blanket dampened with water so as to extinguish a fire.
• wet-blanket
  wet-blanket

  verb (used with object)

  to extinguish (a fire) with a wet blanket.

wet blanket

¹ American  

noun

1. a blanket dampened with water so as to extinguish a fire.

2. a person or thing that dampens enthusiasm or enjoyment.

   Nobody asked him to join the group because he's such a wet blanket.

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wet-blanket ² American  

[wet-blang-kit] / ˈwɛtˈblæŋ kɪt /

verb (used with object)

1. to extinguish (a fire) with a wet blanket.

2. to dampen the enthusiasm or enjoyment of (a person, group, etc.).

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wet blanket British  

noun

1. informal a person whose low spirits or lack of enthusiasm have a depressing effect on others

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wet blanket Cultural  

1. Someone who dampens enthusiasm: “We were all having a good time until Harold walked in and started acting like a wet blanket.”

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wet blanket Idioms  

1. A person who discourages enjoyment or enthusiasm, as in Don't be such a wet blanket—the carnival will be fun! This expression alludes to smothering a fire with a wet blanket. [Early 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of wet blanket¹

First recorded in 1655–65

Origin of wet-blanket²

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wet blanket wet-blanket

Donald’s wife, Erica, can still toss a wet blanket on fiery hearsay by posting a few well-chosen words on social media.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026

What’s Next: The court injunction could keep the deal in limbo for months as litigation unfolds and possibly throw a wet blanket on other transactions in the media.

From Barron's ● Apr. 20, 2026

Hemsworth played Gale Hawthorne, loyal friend and hunting partner to Katniss Everdeen who transformed into something of a wet blanket.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2023

Huddled together under a wet blanket, Tree and Birdie didn’t know the house was on fire until the basement filled with smoke.

From New York Times ● Oct. 19, 2022

He had to wrap his hands in the wet blanket to keep them from burning as he held the kettle.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

The other, “unofficially helmed” by incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, offers more of a wet-blanket counterweight to the lads who wish to blow everything up.

From Slate ● Nov. 26, 2024

There are a few ways Wallace could approach my wet-blanket line of boring, process-centric inquiry.

From Slate ● Oct. 19, 2016

Swisher is a better choice in a role that was recast from an early pilot, but there’s nothing interesting in her wet-blanket role so far.

From Time ● Aug. 10, 2012

Mel Ferrer, Ms. Hepburn’s husband, had a wet-blanket effect on the production in general and his wife in particular.

From New York Times ● Jun. 13, 2010

“I know Meg would wet-blanket such a proposal, but I thought you had more spirit,” began Laurie insinuatingly.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott