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Synonyms

throw cold water on

Idioms  

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.

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“These developments throw cold water on the idea of a swift de-escalation in the Persian Gulf,” analysts at ING said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

"Most things we do to a virus makes it weaker or not work as well, or maybe you're trying to engineer it for therapeutics, and I'd hate to see somebody throw cold water on that."

From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2025

“Someone almost had to throw cold water on us,” Ms. Henner told The Toronto Star in 1993.

From New York Times ● Jun. 27, 2023

“We wouldn’t want it to throw cold water on the value of participating in the count,” Ward said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 26, 2023

Many players would have remained away altogether, or gone to the game to throw cold water on the efforts of those on the gridiron.

From Dave Porter and His Rivals or, The Chums and Foes of Oak Hall by John Goss

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