Phrase guide

water down

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To dilute with water; to add water to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • You need to water down the lemonade a bit more to make it less sweet, dear.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To make weaker, less effective.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To simplify or oversimplify; to make easier; to make less difficult.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Near-synonym: dumb down
  • If you plan to teach this material to children, you may need to water it down.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dumb down

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To make less restrictive; to make more lenient.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

thin by adding water to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • They watered down the moonshine

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: load, adulterate, stretch, dilute, debase

6

verb

Meaning 6

make less strong or intense

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • water down the mixture

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dilute, thin, thin out, reduce, cut

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

44 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: خَفَّفَ (ḵaffafa) — to dilute
  • Catalan: aigualir — to dilute
  • Dutch: aanlengen — to dilute
  • Finnish: laimentaa — to dilute
  • French: diluer — to dilute
  • Galician: diluír — to dilute
  • Galician: rebaixar — to dilute
  • Galician: degaxar — to dilute
  • German: mit Wasser verdünnen — to dilute
  • Greek: νερώνω (neróno) — to dilute
  • Italian: diluire — to dilute
  • Italian: annacquare — to dilute
  • Japanese: 水で薄める (mizu de usumeru) — to dilute
  • Japanese: 希釈する (kisyaku-suru) — to dilute
  • Latin: diluo — to dilute
  • Persian: رقیق کردن (raqiq kardan) — to dilute
  • Polish: rozwadniać — to dilute
  • Polish: rozwodnić — to dilute
  • Russian: разбавля́ть (razbavljátʹ) — to dilute
  • Russian: разба́вить (razbávitʹ) — to dilute
  • Spanish: diluir — to dilute
  • Spanish: rebajar — to dilute
  • Spanish: aguar — to dilute
  • Swedish: späda ut — to dilute
  • Turkish: sulandırmak — to dilute
  • Welsh: glastwreiddio — to dilute
  • Dutch: verwateren — to make weaker
  • Finnish: vesittää — to make weaker
  • German: verwässern — to make weaker
  • Hungarian: felvizez — to make weaker
  • Italian: indebolire — to make weaker
  • Latin: diluo — to make weaker
  • Polish: tonować — to make weaker
  • Polish: stonować — to make weaker
  • Polish: łagodzić — to make weaker
  • Polish: złagodzić — to make weaker
  • Swedish: urvattna — to make weaker
  • Welsh: glastwreiddio — to make weaker
  • Finnish: yksinkertaistaa — to simplify
  • Italian: semplificare — to simplify
  • Polish: upraszczać — to simplify
  • Polish: uprościć — to simplify
  • Spanish: desleír — to simplify
  • Swedish: urvattna — to simplify