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.
In California, lawmakers and politicians have been working on more guardrails to mitigate AI risks even as they also face pressure from tech companies to change or water down legislation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
At times, however, Ms. Kanakia’s caution threatens to water down the strength of her argument.
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
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
Quickly, the face of her sister fell away like water down a slanted roof.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
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.
