WET Synonyms: 350 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'wet' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of wet are damp , dank , humid , and moist . While all these words 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

Q: When is it sensible to use 'damp' instead of 'wet'?

The meanings of damp and wet largely overlap; however, damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture. // clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place

Q: When can 'dank' be used instead of 'wet'?

While the synonyms dank and wet are close in meaning, dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness. // a prisoner in a cold, dank cell

Q: Where would 'humid' be a reasonable alternative to 'wet'?

In some situations, the words humid and wet are roughly equivalent. However, humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air. // a hot, humid climate

Q: In what contexts can 'moist' take the place of 'wet'?

The words moist and wet are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry. // treat the injury with moist heat

wet 1 of 3

adjective

ˈwet

Definition of wet next

as in dripping

containing, covered with, or thoroughly penetrated by water I left the car windows open while it rained, and the seats got all wet

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as in rainy

marked by or abounding with rain a wet and dreary day

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as in drunk

being under the influence of alcohol designated a driver so the others could get wet and make it home safely at the end of the night

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as in sticky

appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way things get more than a little wet during the opera's big death scene

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as in weak

British lacking strength of will or character employees of the company despised their boss as a wet and ineffectual bloke

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wet

2 of 3

noun

as in rain

a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity winced as he walked out into the wet without any protection

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wet

3 of 3

verb

as in to wash

to make wet you need to wet your hair thoroughly first

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word wet distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of wet are damp, dank, humid, and moist. While all these words 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

When is it sensible to use damp instead of wet?

The meanings of damp and wet largely overlap; however, damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture.

clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place

When can dank be used instead of wet?

While the synonyms dank and wet are close in meaning, dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness.

a prisoner in a cold, dank cell

Where would humid be a reasonable alternative to wet?

In some situations, the words humid and wet are roughly equivalent. However, humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air.

a hot, humid climate

In what contexts can moist take the place of wet?

The words moist and wet are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry.

treat the injury with moist heat

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 wet

Adjective

Indeed, the evidence is now overwhelming that Mars was once warmer, and wet, with rivers, lakes and possibly even oceans that existed almost four billion years ago. —

Keith Cooper, Space.com, 25 Jan. 2025 Oysters in the walk-in freezer got hit with Stop Sales for not being marked with the final date to be served. Between clean-up jobs, wet wiping cloths should rest in sanitizing solution. —

David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2025

Noun

There’s no difference in cost between a wet and a dry haircut. —

Megan Decker, refinery29.com, 11 July 2024 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

Verb

Placing the plant in a dish filled with water allows its roots to soak up the moisture and keep your plant hydrated, without wetting the soil up top, where gnat larvae tend to live. —

Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2024 To use it, wet the stain, apply Kiss Off, blot the stain with a rag or paper towel, and then rinse with water, repeating as needed until the stain is gone. —

Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wet

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet

Adjective

Los Angeles has received essentially no rainfall in over 10 months, with the driest start to a rainy season on record, parching soils and vegetation and setting the stage for extreme winds to intensify and spread the fires.

— Peter H. Gleick, Scientific American, 24 Jan. 2025
San Diego has only gotten 0.14 inches of rain since Oct. 1, leading to the driest start of the rainy season since 1850.

— Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025