water down

verb

watered down; watering down; waters down

transitive verb

: to reduce or temper the force or effectiveness of
watered down the plan
watered-down adjective

Examples of water down in a Sentence

watered down the cocktails while jacking up their prices
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Other questions include whether future federal health officials would seek next fall to water down the CDC’s current recommendation that everyone age 6 months and up get vaccinated against COVID — and whether that would affect whether insurers cover the costs of vaccines. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2024 Better Homes & Gardens recommends getting rid of any food products that may have begun rotting, while also pouring a diluted mix of bleach and water down the drain in order to clear out any gnats hanging around there. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2024 Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, said the governor has demonstrated a willingness to water down progressive policies to appease big business. Max Nesterak, ProPublica, 31 Oct. 2024 The Challenges Of Scaling A Creative Business Many creative entrepreneurs fear that growth will water down their brand’s authenticity. Ray Corral, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for water down 

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of water down was in 1811

Dictionary Entries Near water down

Cite this Entry

“Water down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20down. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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