dilute

dilute — verb

1. to add a liquid such as water to another liquid so that the resulting mixture is

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to add a liquid such as water to another liquid so that the resulting mixture is less thick, strong, or concentrated than it was before

Example

Ari diluted the orange juice with sparkling water to make it less sweet.

dilute [liquid] with [liquid] for reducing concentration

The lab technician diluted the acid before adding it to the sample.

Common collocations
  • dilute with water
  • dilute in water
  • dilute a solution
  • dilute the mixture
Synonyms
  • thin

    more informal, mainly used in cooking and paint contexts

  • water down

    phrasal verb, more informal, often suggests making something too weak

  • weaken

    broader in meaning, can apply to non-liquids as well

Antonyms
  • concentrate

    the opposite process of reducing the liquid while keeping the substance

  • strengthen

    general opposite, less technical

Grammar Patterns

dilute + noun phrase + with + noun phrase

Usage Note

The object is always a liquid or substance that can be mixed. Common prepositions are 'with' (what you add) and 'in' (the medium used for diluting).

Common Mistakes

I diluted the soup with too much salt.
I diluted the soup with too much water.
dilute works when a liquid is added to a liquid, not for adding solid ingredients.
She diluted the milk by leaving it in the sun.
She diluted the milk by adding water to it.
dilute requires the addition of another substance, not a natural change over time.

2. to reduce the power, effect, or importance of something such as a belief, opinio

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to reduce the power, effect, or importance of something such as a belief, opinion, message, or quality, often by adding too many different elements to it

Example

Rachel felt that adding more staff diluted the quality of the training program.

The company's strong message was diluted by too many different advertisements.

passive: be diluted by [something] for weakened impact

Common collocations
  • dilute the message
  • dilute the impact
  • dilute the effect
  • dilute the quality
  • dilute the value
Synonyms
  • weaken

    broader and more common; does not imply a mixing process

  • water down

    informal and more negative; suggests deliberate weakening

  • diminish

    more formal; suggests gradual loss in value or importance

Antonyms
  • strengthen

    direct opposite in figurative sense

  • reinforce

    implies adding support rather than restoring original strength

Grammar Patterns

dilute + abstract noun phrase

be diluted + by + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive voice (be diluted by) when something abstract loses its strength. Subject is typically an abstract noun such as 'message', 'values', 'quality', 'impact', or 'enthusiasm'.

Common Mistakes

The loud music diluted my ability to think.
The loud music weakened my ability to think.
dilute is not used for external distractions; it describes a mixture where something is added, not just any reduction in ability.
His fear was diluted when the lights came on.
His fear was reduced when the lights came on.
dilute is not used for emotional relief caused by a change in circumstances.

dilute — adjective

Word family

  • dilution
    nounB2
  • diluted
    adjectiveB1
  • undiluted
    adjectiveC1
  • diluent
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe making something less strong, but they differ in scope and register. Dilute is the most precise term: it always implies adding another substance (usually a liquid) to reduce concentration. Water down is a common phrasal verb that overlaps with dilute but feels more informal and often carries a negative judgment — a watered-down drink or policy is seen as disappointingly weak. Thin is less formal and mostly used in cooking or painting contexts ('thin the sauce with stock'). Weaken is the broadest term and works for liquids, arguments, structures, and physical strength — but it never suggests the specific mechanism of adding something. For example: 'He diluted the bleach with water' (correct, specific), 'He weakened the bleach by adding water' (correct but vague about how), 'He thinned the paint' (correct, informal, limited to liquids), 'He watered down the proposal' (figurative, critical).

dilute ↗water downthin ↗weaken ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • dilute to taste
  • dilute in water

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Dilute comes from the Latin word 'dilutus', the past participle of 'diluere', which means 'to wash away' or 'to dissolve'. It was formed from 'dis-' (meaning 'apart') and 'luere' (meaning 'to wash'). The word entered English in the mid-1500s, first with its literal meaning of thinning a liquid, and later developed the figurative sense of weakening something abstract.