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Est. 1828
Dictionary Definition
 * adjective
 * noun
 * verb
 * adjective 3
   * adjective
   * noun
   * verb
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WET

1 of 3


ADJECTIVE

ˈwet How to pronounce wet (audio)

wetter; wettest
Synonyms of wetnext
1
a
: consisting of, containing, covered with, or soaked with liquid (such as water)
b
of natural gas : containing appreciable quantities of readily condensable
hydrocarbons

2
: rainy
wet weather


3
: still moist enough to smudge or smear
wet paint


4
a
: drunk sense 1a
a wet driver

b
: having or advocating a policy permitting the manufacture and sale of alcoholic
beverages
a wet county

a wet candidate


5
: preserved in liquid

6
: employing or done by means of or in the presence of water or other liquid
wet extraction of copper


7
: overly sentimental

8
British
a
: lacking strength of character : weak, spineless
b
: belonging to the moderate or liberal wing of the Conservative party

wetly adverb
wetness noun

wet

2 of 3


NOUN

1
: water
also : moisture, wetness

2
: rainy weather : rain

3
: an advocate of a policy of permitting the sale of intoxicating liquors

4
British : one who is wet


wet

3 of 3


VERB

wet or wetted; wetting

transitive verb

1
: to make wet

2
: to urinate in or on
wet his pants



intransitive verb

1
: to become wet

2
: urinate

Phrases
all wet
: completely wrong : in error
wet behind the ears
: immature, inexperienced
wet one's whistle
: to take a drink especially of liquor



SYNONYMS

Adjective

   
 * awash
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * bathed
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * bedraggled
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * doused
   
   
   
   
 * dowsed
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * drenched
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * dripping
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * logged
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * saturate
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * saturated
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * soaked
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * soaking
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * sodden
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * soggy
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * sopping
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * soppy
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * soused
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * washed
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * watered
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * waterlogged
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * water-soaked
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * watery
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Noun

   
 * cloudburst
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * deluge
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * downfall
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * downpour
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * rain
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * rainfall
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * rainstorm
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * storm
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Verb

   
 * bathe
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * bedraggle
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * douse
   
   
   
   
 * dowse
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * drench
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * drown
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * soak
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * sodden
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * sop
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * souse
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * wash
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * water
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * waterlog
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * water-soak
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * wet down
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for wet

wet, damp, dank, moist, humid 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

damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant
degree of moisture.

clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place

dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness.

a prisoner in a cold, dank cell

moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry.

treat the injury with moist heat

humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air.

a hot, humid climate




EXAMPLES OF WET IN A SENTENCE

Adjective a pile of wet clothes Be careful not to slip on the wet floor. My hair
is still wet.
My shoes got wet when I stepped in the puddle. The grass was wet with dew. Don't
touch the paint. It's still wet. Noun We stayed out in the wet all afternoon.
winced as he walked out into the wet without any protection Verb I wet a sponge
under the faucet. Avoid wetting the leaves when you water the plant. The morning
dew had wet his shoes. The little boy accidentally wet his pants. I laughed so
hard I almost wet myself.
See More


Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Good air circulation helps prevent disease because moving air dries wet foliage
quickly, which keeps some diseases from taking hold. — Megan Hughes, Better
Homes & Gardens, 28 May 2024 On June 20, 2001, police responded to a 911 call
from the home of Andrea Yates in the Houston suburb of Clear Lake, Texas, and
found the mother of five standing in front of the house in a soaking wet blue
and white shirt. — Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 26 May 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
And this time around, Jackson Maine didn't end his performance by wetting
himself — Ally would be so proud. — Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 26 May
2024 Booyah’s Covert was designed by Jason Christie, one of the best spinnerbait
anglers to ever wet a line. — Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 23 May 2024 See all
Example Sentences for wet 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to
illustrate current usage of the word 'wet.' Any opinions expressed in the
examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us
feedback about these examples.




WORD HISTORY

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, partly from past participle of weten to wet & partly from Old
English wǣt wet; akin to Old Norse vātr wet, Old English wæter water

Verb

Middle English weten, from Old English wǣtan, from wǣt, adjective

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wet was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century


PHRASES CONTAINING WET

 * all wet
 * dripping/soaking/sopping wet
 * get one's feet wet
 * the wet
 * wet bar
 * wet behind the ears
 * wet blanket
 * wet down
 * wet dream
 * wet market
 * wet nurse
 * wet one's whistle
 * wet suit
 * wet the bed
 * wet through
 * wet wash
 * wet willy
 * wringing wet


ARTICLES RELATED TO WET

Is It 'Whet' Or 'Wet' Your...

Whetting your whistle is painful; wetting your appetite is impossible.




DICTIONARY ENTRIES NEAR WET

West Yorkshire

wet

weta

See More Nearby Entries 


CITE THIS ENTRY

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“Wet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster,
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wet. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.

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KIDS DEFINITION

wet

1 of 3 adjective
ˈwet How to pronounce wet (audio)
wetter; wettest
1
: containing, covered with, or soaked with liquid (as water)

2
: rainy
wet weather


3
: not yet dry
wet paint


wetly adverb
wetness noun

wet

2 of 3 noun
1
: water entry 1 sense 1

2
: moisture

3
: rainy weather : rain


wet

3 of 3 verb
wet or wetted; wetting
1
: to make or become wet

2
: to urinate in or on
wet his pants





MEDICAL DEFINITION

wet

adjective
ˈwet How to pronounce wet (audio)
: marked by the presence or abundance of fluid (as secretions or effusions)
the wet form of age-related macular degeneration



MORE FROM MERRIAM-WEBSTER ON WET

Nglish: Translation of wet for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of wet for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: 1 Jun 2024 - Updated example sentences
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