as in dilutes
to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances
watered down the cocktails while jacking up their prices
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Recent Examples of waters down
That major hedge is new, and seriously waters down the importance of these two existing constitutional criteria.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Many have complained that having two divisions and two state champions for each classification waters down the playoffs and provides easier paths to the state championship game.
—Greg Riddle, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
Tech companies are poised for a big win if Europe waters down its digital regulations overhaul and makes compliance voluntary.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
The most recent version of the deal waters down a landmark 2021 agreement that set a minimum global corporate tax of 15%.
—Fatima Hussein, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Many have complained that having two divisions and two state champions for each classification waters down the playoffs and provides easier paths to the state championship game.
—Greg Riddle, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
Tech companies are poised for a big win if Europe waters down its digital regulations overhaul and makes compliance voluntary.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
The most recent version of the deal waters down a landmark 2021 agreement that set a minimum global corporate tax of 15%.
—Fatima Hussein, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waters down
Verb
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Now, Perez said branches are leaving the union because of high turnover in retail banking, which dilutes the original union-supporting staff and allows the company to re-educate new hires with anti-union talking points.—
Chase Jordan
April 2,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
-
But as the Universe keeps on expanding, the spatial curvature still dilutes, the same way that a small Pringles chip has a greater amount of curvature than a large horse’s saddle.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The delivery person just loads the food and selects the room number.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The world's largest car carrier, BYD ''Shenzhen'', loads over 7,000 BYD new energy commercial vehicles at Haitong Terminal in Taicang Port Area, Suzhou Port, and sets sail for Brazil in Taicang City, Jiangsu Province, China, on April 27, 2025.—
Evelyn Cheng,Matthew Chin,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Additional features include CleanWeb, which blocks ads, trackers, and malware at the network level, and a Kill Switch that cuts internet access if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Meta cuts 8,000 workers Welp, Meta is once again eliminating jobs in light of its massive spending on artificial intelligence.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The debris ultimately enters storm drains and the adjacent river, which pollutes our shoreline and environment.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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Fertilizer runoff pollutes water sources and fuels toxic algae blooms.—
Frank Morris,
NPR,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Steam thins mucus and eases congestion, per the same PMC/NIH trial.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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Over time, the canopy thins, the leaves crinkle, and the tree slowly dies.—
Jacob Wycoff,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The former is caused by bacteria that infects the protective lining of the brain and spinal cord, which can lead to inflammation.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Mumps infects the salivary glands below the ears.—
Tanya Lewis,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waters down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waters%20down. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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