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
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.
"Any attempt to water down these targets could send warning signals to these investors about the government's long-term commitment to electrifying our transport network," he added.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 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
“It’s like the restaurant that starts to water down the soup,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
The vast expanse of water down the left had gobbled up Young's ball less than 24 hours earlier.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
Those empty sockets were less lovely up close, dripping river water down her cheeks like never-ending tears.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
