water down
Britishverb
-
to dilute or weaken with water
-
to modify or adulterate, esp so as to omit anything harsh, unpleasant, or offensive
to water down the truth
Other Word Forms
- watered-down adjective
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.
“There was absolutely no reason or desire that I would want to water down this report.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026
Both Berlin and Italy also helped pressure the EU to water down its 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars -- a decision again opposed, unsuccessfully, by France.
From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026
In response, Sir Keir said he is determined not to "water down" the legislation and argued that the amendments tabled by the government would "strengthen" it.
From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026
Meanwhile, the European Union plans to water down rules that would have effectively banned the sale of new combustion-engine cars from 2035.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025
“Hey, don’t fall in. There’s no water down there.”
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
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.
