water down
Britishverb
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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
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.
Economic pressure is now building to water down the rule.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
To handle the extra volume, engineers send surplus water down 5 Shaft into the deep pool below, much like an overflow spillway helps relieve pressure at a full reservoir.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 2026
“There is no way to slice and dice this report to water down the horrible headline,” writes John Ryding, chief economic advisor at Brean Capital.
From Barron's ● May 13, 2026
Bass has repeatedly denied that she was involved in any effort to water down the report.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026
She tasted it, then said, “Joey, if you slip anymore, school just might let you slip away like water down a drain and the class will continue on as if you never existed.”
From "Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key" by Jack Gantos
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.
