1
a
: consisting of, filled with, or surrounded by water
b
: containing, sodden with, or yielding water or a thin liquid
a watery solution
watery vesicles
2
a
: resembling water or watery matter especially in thin fluidity, soggy texture, paleness, or lack of savor
watery sunlight
a watery soup
watery diarrhea
b
: exhibiting weakness and vapidity : wishy-washy
a watery writing style
Examples of watery in a Sentence
The pollen caused her eyes to become watery.
The soup was watery and had no flavor.
the watery light of winter
Recent Examples on the Web
Common measles symptoms include a blotchy rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, pink or watery eyes and white spots on the insides of the cheeks.
—
Aria Bendix, NBC news, 30 Dec. 2025
This rindless, bed-sheet-white cheese is cured and stored in a brine made with salt and either water or its own whey (the watery liquid that separates from the curd during the cheese-making process).
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 29 Dec. 2025
Symptoms include fever, rash, cough, red or watery eyes, and a runny nose.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
His light, slurring, hornlike, Al Green-ish singing now melted into the rest of his watery compositions, making the lyrics hard to hear but his great reservoir of unembarrassed feeling impossible to miss.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for watery
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.
Aria Bendix, NBC news, 30 Dec. 2025
This rindless, bed-sheet-white cheese is cured and stored in a brine made with salt and either water or its own whey (the watery liquid that separates from the curd during the cheese-making process).
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 29 Dec. 2025
Symptoms include fever, rash, cough, red or watery eyes, and a runny nose.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
His light, slurring, hornlike, Al Green-ish singing now melted into the rest of his watery compositions, making the lyrics hard to hear but his great reservoir of unembarrassed feeling impossible to miss.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for watery
Cite this Entry
“Watery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watery. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
watery
adjective
wa·tery
ˈwȯt-ə-rē 
ˈwät-
1
a
: consisting of or filled with water
a watery hole
b
: containing or giving out water or a thin liquid
a watery mixture
watery eyes
2
: being like water especially in thinness, sogginess, paleness, or lack of taste
watery soup
Medical Definition
watery
adjective
wa·tery
ˈwȯt-ə-rē, ˈwät-
1
: consisting of or filled with water
2
: containing, sodden with, or yielding water or a thin liquid
a watery solution
watery stools
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share