water down
Britishverb
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to dilute or weaken with water
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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
Article 2 of the framework commits the UK not to water down human rights provisions, underpinned by EU law, that flow from the Good Friday Agreement.
From BBC • May 15, 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
“Then pour some water down your gullet and let’s get hopping.”
From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner
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.
