wet 1 of 3

1
2
as in rainy
marked by or abounding with rain a wet and dreary day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5

wet

2 of 3

noun

as in rain
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity winced as he walked out into the wet without any protection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wet

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word wet distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of wet are damp, dank, humid, and moist. While all these words 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

When is it sensible to use damp instead of wet?

The meanings of damp and wet largely overlap; however, damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture.

clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place

When can dank be used instead of wet?

While the synonyms dank and wet are close in meaning, dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness.

a prisoner in a cold, dank cell

Where would humid be a reasonable alternative to wet?

In some situations, the words humid and wet are roughly equivalent. However, humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air.

a hot, humid climate

In what contexts can moist take the place of wet?

The words moist and wet are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry.

treat the injury with moist heat

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of wet
Adjective
On that afternoon in May, protesters in many cities across Europe braved wet weather. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024 Easterly said the agency has observed some small-scale incidents during the early voting period, such as severe wet weather and criminal destruction of ballot boxes. Dan Mangan,kevin Breuninger,jake Piazza,annie Nova,rebecca Picciotto,ece Yildirim, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
The Orioles wouldn’t smack another extra-base hit and get the fans in Section 86 wet until the seventh inning — after Rubenstein handed the reigns back to Mr. Splash on his bobblehead night — when Henderson doubled home Jorge Mateo. Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 11 May 2024 Escape to Film Forum and watch Alain Delon and Romy Schneider, dripping wet and lightly broiled by a Provençal sun, make out beside a swimming pool. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2024
Verb
Authorities say Love took Chance to a local park, where the boy wet himself. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024 Use a garden sprayer to wet a small area (four-by-four-foot) of the ceiling. Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wet 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet
Adjective
  • The broadcast kicked off with the pair discussing the windy, rainy weather, which created slippery conditions on the field.
    Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
  • In 2007, a study by the University of Georgia, the University of California, Merced, and the University of Pittsburgh found that rainy weather deterred Democrats more than Republicans.
    Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Both aim to improve handling, not that the MX-5 handled like a drunk camel in the first place.
    Matthew MacConnell, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
  • But despite anecdotal reports of non-human animals appearing drunk after consuming ripe fruit or sugary substances, there's been very little research into its actual prevalence in the broader kingdom of life.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Of course, anyone with a low tolerance for sugary sweet, sometimes sticky sentimentality would want to suck on a pack of lemons afterwards.
    Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
  • To avoid a potentially sticky situation, go with one of these six leak-free options.
    Catherine Garcia, theweek, 12 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Other checks on Trump’s policy will also be far weaker.
    Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Each endpoint can be assessed to sniff out weak points.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Related Articles Bay Area rain: Who got the most and least?
    Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
  • Each jacket offers a different degree of protection from cold, wind, and rain.
    Abigail Barronian, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The company plans to invest in expanding its production capacity, including the development of a new egg washing and packing facility in Seymour, Indiana.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024
  • Migrants without work authorization huddled in Home Depot parking lots and stood at intersections washing windshields for tips.
    Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • There are slight differences in their unsaturated and saturated fat content and their sodium and potassium concentrations.
    Isabel Vasquez RD LDN, Health, 2 Nov. 2024
  • Its softer tones serve as a backdrop to a myriad of accent colors and furnishing styles, while more saturated yellows can be played up to make more of a statement—especially with finish treatment (eggshell vs. gloss etc.).
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • But the dance party morphs into an intensely heated argument — complete with drunken insults and shattered glass — as the Owens sisters realize Angelov isn’t really gone.
    Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024
  • Three decades on, recollections of the drunken antics and petty feuds that marked the Britpop scene may have faded, but the era’s style iconography—and of course the music—remains.
    Naomi Rougeau, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near wet

Cite this Entry

“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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