WATERY Synonyms: 169 Similar and Opposite Words

watery

adjective

ˈwȯ-tə-rē

Definition of watery

as in dripping

containing, covered with, or thoroughly penetrated by water the soft, watery earth of the marshland

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in runny

having an overly soft liquid consistency watery oatmeal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in thin

not containing very much of some important element a watery lemonade

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in bland

lacking in qualities that make for spirit and character political correctness has resulted in a lot of history books being written in very watery prose

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 watery Early symptoms include cough, runny nose, fever as high as 104 Fahrenheit and red, watery eyes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 Pneumonic plague can cause shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and bloody or watery mucus, and pharyngeal plague can cause sore throat. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 6 Oct. 2026 According to The Better Menopause, eccrine glands on the palms and soles, along with the torso, limbs and face, produce a mostly watery sweat that cools the body and carries little smell. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2026 Officers spoke with Perez and observed signs of intoxication, including the odor of alcohol on Perez, red and watery eyes and slurred speech, according to the DA’s Office. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for watery

Recent Examples of Synonyms for watery

Adjective

Even while dripping in haute couture, Edebiri somehow never appears stuffy or unapproachable — quite the opposite.

— Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Bleeding Ombré The mix of red and black shades to get you that dripping blood effect in an ombré nail is striking on its own.

— Michella Oré, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of dripping

Adjective

Colds and allergies have similar symptoms like sneezing, runny noses and watery eyes, which is why they can both be treated by a histamine-blocking medication that can help dry up your sinuses.

— Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026
Wildfire smoke may cause coughing, runny nose, or watery eyes.

— Paula Wethington, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of runny

Adjective

Bajaria may also have hit thin ice with Sarandos after the streamer won just 16 Primetime Emmy Awards this year — its worst showing since 2016 and down from 30 in 2025.

— Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
It was designed with a column, sheath silhouette, with sequins, thin spaghetti straps and a midlength skirt.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of thin

Adjective

The high-wire act that followed—in which performers had to make these bland conceits into something funny without, ostensibly, preparing any jokes in advance—introduced a tension that made sketch shows feel sedate and uneven by comparison.

— Dan Brooks, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
The rising cost of these licenses has also led to the mass production of bland designs.

— Matt Martell, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of bland

Adjective

Yet Netflix's growth has slowed in recent years amid mounting competition from other streaming platforms and a saturated North American market.

— Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Authentic Individualism By 2027, the essential skill communicators need won’t be using AI but maintaining authentic individualism in an AI-saturated world.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of saturated

Adjective

Its bottom is lined with soft, soupy silt that makes traditional bridge pillars impossible.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
Some keep it simple with chicken and salsa in a tortilla, while others pile high into the corn tortilla a little bit of everything on the table (even the slightly soupy beans).

— Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of soupy

Adjective

Finally, the third recruits seaweed to gather minerals that are otherwise too dilute to chase.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026
Clean and disinfect your pruning shears between working on each plant by dipping them into a dilute 10% solution of chlorine bleach water or rubbing alcohol.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026

Definition of dilute

Adjective

Most impressive is its capacity to achieve the perfect balance between design and sophistication, without being uptight or boring.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
The game was pretty boring overall, and the Seahawks looked like the significantly better team.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of boring

Browse Nearby Words

waterways

watery

wave

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Watery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watery. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of watery

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes