dilute

1 of 2

verb

di·​lute dī-ˈlüt How to pronounce dilute (audio)
də-
diluted; diluting

transitive verb

1
: attenuate
dilute the power of the mayoralty
diluting the quality of the finished product
2
: to make thinner or more liquid by admixture
diluted the bleach with water
diluting juice with water
3
: to diminish the strength, flavor, or brilliance of (something) by or as if by admixture
dilute a color
But spreading the light out also dilutes it …Michael Zeilik and John Gaustad
4
: to decrease the per share value of (common stock) by increasing the total number of shares
diluter noun
or dilutor
dilutive adjective

dilute

2 of 2

adjective

: weak, diluted
a dilute acid solution
diluteness noun

Examples of dilute in a Sentence

Verb You can dilute the medicine with water. The hiring of the new CEO diluted the power of the company's president. diluting the quality of our products Adjective a dilute solution of acid a dilute acid that's safe to handle in the classroom
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Myers hopes the court will review that district and the 11th Assembly District, though the court's consultants said none of the submissions had issues with the Voting Rights Act, which prevents diluting the votes of minority voters. Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2024 Why would anyone go to such extremes to dilute this? Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024 Policy Implementation Hurdles: Even with policy changes, implementation can take time and face legal challenges, diluting the immediate impact on the market. Jonathan Dash, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 But as the planet warms, melting glaciers and ice sheets — such as the Greenland ice sheet — are adding more freshwater to the system, which is diluting its salinity and disrupting traditional patterns. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Shower steamers are a safe way to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy, in part because essential oils should always be diluted before use, which happens when the dissolving tablet meets the water and infuses into the steam. Annie Blackman, Allure, 9 Feb. 2024 One benefit was that funds for research and development were not diluted among separate branches that, as in the United States, might otherwise have designed and built the same weapons in parallel. Shashank Joshi, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Foucault and his fellow protesters are restless, their list of grievances long: soaring costs, increasing bureaucracy, new European Union regulations in its Green Deal and imports diluting their markets. Nayla Razzouk, Fortune Europe, 13 Feb. 2024 The incentive to wait for an appointment has been diluted by the fact that many migrants who enter the country illegally are still released with court notices. Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 12 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Vinegar, which is really dilute acetic acid, will help the milk curdle by further denaturing the whey proteins and neutralizing negative charges at the surface of casein micelles. Liz Roth-Johnson, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2013 However toxic a substance may be, the amount of exposure received by the general population is very dilute. George Johnson, Discover Magazine, 8 July 2013 For example, Wilson’s team is exploring whether dilute acids speed up weathering. Robert F. Service, Science | AAAS, 3 Sep. 2020 The company reported a net loss during the first quarter of $3.9 million, or 11 cents diluted loss per share, compared to a net income of $4.3 million, or 12 cents dilute earnings per share over the same period last year. Paul Takahashi, Houston Chronicle, 5 June 2018 Tests pick it up even in dilute wastewater,'' the story reports. Bob Warren, NOLA.com, 15 Apr. 2018 Of the plants previously watered with very dilute vinegar, 70 percent survived while almost none of those that were given other acids or only water did. Carolyln Wilke, sacbee, 30 June 2017 A dilute sample is when a player drinks so much water, the urine test administered is ineffective because of the excess water consumption. Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com, 16 May 2017 Dallas Cowboys Bob’s pick: Jabril Peppers, DB/LB, Michigan Comment: A dilute sample on a drug test might cause some teams pause about Peppers. Jayson Jenks, The Seattle Times, 27 Apr. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dilute.' 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

Verb and Adjective

Latin dilutus, past participle of diluere to wash away, dilute, from di- + lavere to wash — more at lye

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1605, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dilute was circa 1575

Dictionary Entries Near dilute

Cite this Entry

“Dilute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dilute. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dilute

1 of 2 verb
di·​lute dī-ˈlüt How to pronounce dilute (audio)
də-
diluted; diluting
: to make thinner or more liquid by adding in and mixing something
added water to dilute the punch

dilute

2 of 2 adjective
: lacking normal strength especially as a result of being diluted

Medical Definition

dilute

1 of 2 transitive verb
di·​lute dī-ˈlüt, də- How to pronounce dilute (audio)
diluted; diluting
: to make thinner or more liquid by admixture
diluter noun
also dilutor

dilute

2 of 2 adjective
: of relatively low strength or concentration
a dilute solution

Legal Definition

dilute

transitive verb
di·​lute dī-ˈlüt, də- How to pronounce dilute (audio)
diluted; diluting
: to cause dilution of

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