wet 1 of 3

adjective

ˈwet How to pronounce wet (audio)
Definition of wetnext
1
as in dripping
containing, covered with, or thoroughly penetrated by water I left the car windows open while it rained, and the seats got all wet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rainy
marked by or abounding with rain a wet and dreary day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in drunk
being under the influence of alcohol designated a driver so the others could get wet and make it home safely at the end of the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sticky
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way things get more than a little wet during the opera's big death scene

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in weak
British lacking strength of will or character employees of the company despised their boss as a wet and ineffectual bloke

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

as in to wash
to make wet you need to wet your hair thoroughly first

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Example 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
Equip yourself with these guidelines from the NWS to navigate wet roads and avoid hazards: Beware of rapid water flow: During heavy rain, avoid playing near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk. —Bay Area Weather Report, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025 Mastering wet roads: Safety tips for heavy rainfall When heavy rain strikes, safety is paramount. —Southern California Weather Report, Orange County Register, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
There’s no difference in cost between a wet and a dry haircut. —Megan Decker, refinery29.com, 11 July 2024 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
Verb
Hertz and his men moved behind the restaurant, trying to wet the ground and tearing down a fence that would just provide more fuel to the fire. —Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025 After a thorough massage, splash on some warm or cool (never hot) water or wet a clean washcloth to gently wipe away the product. —Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet
  1. rainy
  2. drunk
  3. sticky
  4. weak
  5. rain
  6. wash
  7. saturated
  8. drunken
Adjective
  • The fish live in seasonal pools and ponds formed during the rainy season and lay their eggs in the muddy ground.
    — Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The beginning of the workweek could be rainy with a 40% chance of precipitation and high near 60.
    — Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of rainy
Adjective
  • The couple's adult son claimed that his father was drunk at the time of the argument.
    — Stepheny Price, Fox News, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Tucker, blackout drunk on Slamm’d, once jumped out of a moving car.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of drunk
Adjective
  • Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images Inflation could prove sticky while prices might pick up again, Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler warned, signaling that the U.S. central bank should keep interest rates steady for the time.
    — Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
  • My advice is to choose the former, which is more sticky than spicy, and save the latter for a buffalo chicken salad ($17).
    — Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of sticky
Adjective
  • Similarly, 5GHz signals were strong in the central areas but became weaker in the garage, the den, and the kitchen area.
    — PCMAG, PCMAG, 11 Mar. 2025
  • As the market sell-off gains steam, a handful of quality stocks could outperform and buck the broader weak trend for equities, according to Bernstein.
    — Brian Evans, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of weak
Noun
  • The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, which studies and tests ways to make homes more resilient, has recommended construction standards based on its research, both for high wind and heavy rains, as well as wildfires.
    — Ron Lieber, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
  • When a local festival is happening or when rain is in the forecast, their AI systems could adjust staffing and stock levels.
    — Claire Vanessa Lim, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of rain
Verb
  • Judge Jeffrey Clothier, who was elected to Genesee County’s 67th District Court in January, said requiring as many as 100 shoplifters caught stealing from a local Walmart to wash cars for free would serve the community and possibly discourage others from stealing from the retail giant.
    — Landon Mion, Fox News, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Step 3: Clean The Shelves Use a sponge or wash cloth dipped in warm, soapy water to wipe off shelves.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of wash
Adjective
  • Follow the journalist for a continued conversation about the risks of injectables, why founders need to invest in TikTok, and how to maintain success as a beauty brand in 2024’s saturated market.
    — Dahvi Shira, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Some coffee drinks are loaded with sugar, while others are high in saturated fat.
    — Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, Health, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of saturated
Adjective
  • The leading causes of those crashes were drunken and distracted driving and speeding.
    — Sofia Joucovsky, The Denver Post, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Prosecutors accused Ferguson of intentionally killing his wife after losing his temper during a drunken argument.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of drunken

Phrases Containing wet

Browse Nearby Words

wet
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on wet

Nglish: Translation of wet for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All