watery

adjective

wa·​tery ˈwȯ-tə-rē 

ˈwä-

1

a

: consisting of, filled with, or surrounded by water

b

: containing, sodden with, or yielding water or a thin liquid

a watery solution

watery vesicles

2

a

: resembling water or watery matter especially in thin fluidity, soggy texture, paleness, or lack of savor

watery sunlight

a watery soup

watery diarrhea

b

: exhibiting weakness and vapidity : wishy-washy

a watery writing style

waterily

ˈwȯ-tə-rə-lē 

ˈwä-

adverb

wateriness

ˈwȯ-tə-rē-nəs 

ˈwä-

noun

Synonyms

• awash
• bathed
• bedraggled
• doused
• dowsed
• drenched
• dripping
• logged
• saturate
• saturated
• soaked
• soaking
• sodden
• soggy
• sopping
• soppy
• soused
• washed
• water-soaked
• watered
• waterlogged
• wet

Examples of watery in a Sentence

The pollen caused her eyes to become watery.

The soup was watery and had no flavor.

the watery light of winter

Recent Examples on the Web

It's all set against a brutal, beautiful, watery landscape. —The Week Us, theweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Earth’s earliest forms of calcite, for example, developed through the watery alteration of meteorites; microbes then began to build other calcite structures 2.5 billion years ago, whereas snails and clams created new combinations beginning only 100 million years ago. —Paul Voosen, science.org, 1 Nov. 2024

General symptoms may include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes and a rash of red spots. —Deidre McPhillips and Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 2 Oct. 2024

For another end of the world that features not a bang but a whimper, try Julia Armfield’s Private Rites, which stars three sisters dealing with the death of their cruel genius father in the midst of a watery apocalypse. —Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing watery

• a watery grave

Kids Definition

watery

adjective

wa·​tery ˈwȯt-ə-rē 

ˈwät-

1

a

: consisting of or filled with water

a watery hole

b

: containing or giving out water or a thin liquid

a watery mixture

watery eyes

2

: being like water especially in thinness, sogginess, paleness, or lack of taste

watery soup

Medical Definition

watery

adjective

wa·​tery ˈwȯt-ə-rē, ˈwät- 

1

: consisting of or filled with water

2

: containing, sodden with, or yielding water or a thin liquid

a watery solution

watery stools