wet

1 of 3

adjective

ˈwet 

wetter; wettest

1

a

: consisting of, containing, covered with, or soaked with liquid (such as water)

b

of natural gas : containing appreciable quantities of readily condensable hydrocarbons

2

: rainy

wet weather

3

: still moist enough to smudge or smear

wet paint

4

a

: drunk sense 1a

a wet driver

b

: having or advocating a policy permitting the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages

a wet county

a wet candidate

5

: preserved in liquid

6

: employing or done by means of or in the presence of water or other liquid

wet extraction of copper

7

: overly sentimental

8

British

a

: lacking strength of character : weak, spineless

b

: belonging to the moderate or liberal wing of the Conservative party

wetly adverb

wetness noun

wet

2 of 3

noun

1

: water

also : moisture, wetness

2

: rainy weather : rain

3

: an advocate of a policy of permitting the sale of intoxicating liquors

4

British : one who is wet

wet

3 of 3

verb

wet or wetted; wetting

transitive verb

1

: to make wet

2

: to urinate in or on

wet his pants

intransitive verb

1

: to become wet

2

: urinate

Phrases

all wet

: completely wrong : in error

wet behind the ears

: immature, inexperienced

wet one's whistle

: to take a drink especially of liquor

Synonyms

Adjective

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

Noun

• cloudburst
• deluge
• downfall
• downpour
• rain
• rainfall
• rainstorm
• storm

Verb

• bathe
• bedraggle
• douse
• dowse
• drench
• drown
• soak
• sodden
• sop
• souse
• wash
• water
• waterlog
• water-soak
• wet down

Choose the Right Synonym for wet

wet, damp, dank, moist, humid mean covered or more or less soaked with liquid.

wet usually implies saturation but may suggest a covering of a surface with water or something (such as paint) not yet dry.

slipped on the wet pavement

damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture.

clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place

dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness.

a prisoner in a cold, dank cell

moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry.

treat the injury with moist heat

humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air.

a hot, humid climate

Examples of wet in a Sentence

Adjective

a pile of wet clothes

Be careful not to slip on the wet floor.

My hair is still wet.

My shoes got wet when I stepped in the puddle.

The grass was wet with dew.

Don't touch the paint. It's still wet.

Noun

We stayed out in the wet all afternoon.

winced as he walked out into the wet without any protection

Verb

I wet a sponge under the faucet.

Avoid wetting the leaves when you water the plant.

The morning dew had wet his shoes.

The little boy accidentally wet his pants.

I laughed so hard I almost wet myself.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Some wet weather could impact parts of the East on Christmas Day. —Mary Gilbert, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024

Their warm and wet climates couldn’t produce the brawny horses needed for their cavalries. —David Chaffetz, Fortune Asia, 15 Dec. 2024

Noun

Unfortunately, in the case of going to bed with wet (or even damp) hair, the downsides might outweigh the benefits. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2024

The j series adds a camera for obstacle avoidance, and higher-end models in that line like the Combo j9+ ($1,199.99) have a retractable mop to clean hardwood floors and carpeting in a single run without getting the latter wet. —PCMAG, 8 Aug. 2024

Verb

Advertisement The Southland remains in high fire season, which could last into the new year without a wetting rainfall, and forecasters say more Santa Ana winds are on the way. —Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024

Placing the plant in a dish filled with water allows its roots to soak up the moisture and keep your plant hydrated, without wetting the soil up top, where gnat larvae tend to live. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, partly from past participle of weten to wet & partly from Old English wǣt wet; akin to Old Norse vātr wet, Old English wæter water

Verb

Middle English weten, from Old English wǣtan, from wǣt, adjective

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Noun

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

Verb

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

Phrases Containing wet

• dripping/soaking/sopping wet
• get one's feet wet
• the wet
• wet bar
• wet blanket
• wet down
• wet dream
• wet market
• wet nurse
• wet one's whistle
• wet suit
• wet the bed
• wet through
• wet wash
• wet willy
• wringing wet

Kids Definition

wet

1 of 3 adjective

ˈwet 

wetter; wettest

1

: containing, covered with, or soaked with liquid (as water)

2

: rainy

wet weather

3

: not yet dry

wet paint

wetly adverb

wetness noun

wet

2 of 3 noun

1

: water entry 1 sense 1

2

: moisture

3

: rainy weather : rain

wet

3 of 3 verb

wet or wetted; wetting

1

: to make or become wet

2

: to urinate in or on

wet his pants

Medical Definition

wet

adjective

ˈwet 

: marked by the presence or abundance of fluid (as secretions or effusions)

the wet form of age-related macular degeneration