dewy

adjective

ˈdü-ē

also ˈdyü-

dewier; dewiest

Synonyms of dewy next

: moist with, affected by, or suggestive of dew

dewy grass

A fresh, faintly dewy complexion radiates health and beauty.—

Essence

: innocent, unsophisticated

from a dewy bride to an ill-mannered, murderous courtesan—

Melvin Gussow

dewily

ˈdü-ə-lē

ˈdyü-

adverb

dewiness

ˈdü-ē-nəs

ˈdyü-

noun

Did you know?

"And her faire deawy eies with kisses deare Shee ofte did bathe" (Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene). "I would these dewy teares were from the ground" (William Shakespeare, Richard III). "Till dewie sleep Oppress'd them" (John Milton, Paradise Lost). "Strengthen me, enlighten me … Thou dewy dawn of memory" (Alfred Tennyson, "Ode to Memory"). Such lines exemplify how the greats have poetically extended the characteristics of dewy grass to misty or crying eyes, as well as to things, like sleep, that affect people gently like forming dew, or to things, like memory, that gradually vanish like a morning's dew. In recent times, the adjective has often been used to describe the luminous complexions of models and starlets—an extension of the "suggestive of dew" meaning. It was not until the 20th century that people began to connect newly formed, undisturbed dew with freshness or purity and, in turn, with innocence and unsophistication.

Examples of dewy in a Sentence

another version of the story of the dewy small-town youths hoping to make it in the big city

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

The finish is slightly dewy and only gets dewier after a few spritzes of this setting spray. —

Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 3 Oct. 2024 But there is also a quiet unease in this dewy new skin. —

Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024 In comparison, Merit’s Flush Balm wins out thanks to its sheer, dewy formula and instant luminosity. —

Humeara Mohamed, refinery29.com, 7 Aug. 2024 Han frequently recommends this relatively affordable chemical sunscreen to friends who want a nourishing, dewy formula that feels weightless and wears well underneath makeup—a.k.a. —

Kathleen Suico, Allure, 13 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dewy