dilute
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
adjective
verb
-
to make or become less concentrated, esp by adding water or a thinner
-
to make or become weaker in force, effect, etc
he diluted his story
adjective
Other Word Forms
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.
Investors in GameStop may have clued in to the financing arrangements of the deal, which could dilute shareholders.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
The gain marks a bit of a switch, as investors tend to be unhappy about stock deals, which dilute the ownership of current shareholders.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026
Tehran offered to dilute the 60% highly enriched uranium to at most a 20% level, according to people involved in the talks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
But it can dilute benefits you would get from real-life social interactions.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
“We have to dilute the poison until the nymphs are cleansed.”
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
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.
