watery
gb/wˈɔtɚi/ us/wˈɔtɚi/
B1
English
~ 9000
vizes, felvizezett, híg, könnyező, könnyes, vizenyős, halvány, fakó, erőtlen, gyenge, vízben gazdag
B1
1
Usage pattern:
a watery [food/drink/liquid]
The soup was disappointingly watery and almost tasteless.
A leves csalódást keltően vizes volt, és szinte teljesen íztelen.
If the paint is too watery, it will run down the wall.
Ha a festék túl híg, le fog folyni a falon.
After the rain, the soil became watery and hard to walk on.
The coffee tasted watery, as if she had added too much milk and not enough grounds.
He complained that the curry was watery instead of thick and creamy.
Learner examples
This juice is very watery and does not taste sweet.
Ez a gyümölcslé nagyon vizes, és nem elég édes.
The sauce is watery because you put in too much water.
A szósz azért híg, mert túl sok vizet tettél bele.
My soup was watery, so I added more vegetables.
The paint is watery, so it does not cover the wall well.
The ice cream melted and turned into a watery mess.
Common mistake:
Learners often use "wet" instead of "watery" for food and drinks. "Wet" means that something has water on it or in it, but "watery" suggests that there is too much water and the result is thin or weak (e.g. say "watery soup," not "wet soup").
Meaning
thin or weak because of water
Collocations
watery soup
|watery coffee
|watery sauce
|watery gravy
|watery paint
|watery soil
Synonyms
dilute (More technical/precise; often used for liquids that have been intentionally mixed with extra water.)
|
thin (Very common; describes low thickness or weak taste, not specifically about water.)
|
weak (Focuses on low strength of taste (e.g. drinks) rather than on the amount of water.)
Antonyms
thick (Opposite in terms of consistency; describes food or liquid that is dense, not runny.)
|
rich (Opposite in terms of taste; describes strong, full flavor, especially in food or drink.)
Themes
food
|daily life
|description
|food_drink
Definition
Having a lot of water and not enough other stuff, so the food or liquid tastes weak or feels thin.
Containing too much water, so that the liquid is thin, weak in taste, or not rich enough.
B1
2
Usage pattern:
watery [body part]
Her allergies left her with itchy, watery eyes all day.
Az allergiája miatt egész nap viszketett és könnyezett a szeme.
He looked up at me with watery eyes that made him seem much older.
Vizenyős szemmel nézett fel rám, ettől sokkal idősebbnek tűnt.
The strong wind made my eyes watery as I walked along the beach.
A bad cold can cause a runny nose and watery eyes.
The baby’s eyes grew watery just before he started to cry.
Learner examples
My eyes are watery because of the smoke.
A füsttől könnyezik a szemem.
When she is sick, her eyes become watery.
Amikor beteg, könnyezik a szeme.
The cold air makes his eyes watery.
I put in eye drops, and now my eyes are watery.
Her eyes were watery, but she did not cry.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "water eyes" instead of "watery eyes." The correct adjective form is "watery." Also, "watery eyes" can be caused by cold, wind, or allergies, not only by crying; use "teary" or "tearful" when you want to stress emotion.
Meaning
eyes full of water or tears
Collocations
watery eyes
|watery eye
|watery gaze
|watery look
|watery nose
Synonyms
teary (Stresses emotion and the presence of tears, especially from sadness or crying.)
|
runny (Common for noses; focuses on liquid dripping out, not just looking wet.)
Antonyms
dry-eyed (Especially in emotional contexts, describes someone not crying or without tears.)
Themes
health
|emotions
|daily life
|body
Definition
Having eyes (or sometimes a nose) that are full of water or tears and look very wet.
Of eyes or similar body parts, full of water or tears so that they look wet or are starting to run.
B2
3
Usage pattern:
watery [color/light]
A thin, watery sunlight fell through the clouds.
Halvány, gyenge napfény szűrődött át a felhőkön.
Her dress was a watery blue that almost blended with the sky.
A ruhája olyan halványkék volt, hogy szinte beleolvadt az égbe.
The painting looked faded, with only watery colors left on the canvas.
Through the fog we could see only a watery glow from the streetlights.
In winter, the sun often has a cold, watery light.
Learner examples
The sun gave a weak, watery light.
A nap gyenge, halvány fényt adott.
He wore a shirt in a watery green color.
Halványzöld inget viselt.
In the morning, a watery sun came through the clouds.
The picture has soft, watery colors.
I could see a watery moon behind the clouds.
Common mistake:
Learners often use only "light" or "pale" for weak colors and do not realize that "watery" adds a feeling that the color or light is thin and weak, almost washed out. Do not use "watery" when the color is simply light but still strong or fresh.
Meaning
pale, weak color or light
Collocations
watery sunlight
|watery sun
|watery blue
|watery light
|watery sky
|watery moon
Synonyms
pale (General term for low color strength; does not carry the same image of being "diluted" like "watery" does.)
|
faint (Emphasizes that the color or light is barely noticeable.)
Antonyms
vivid (Describes color that is intense and bright, the opposite of weak and watery.)
|
bright (Focuses on strong light or color, contrasting with the weak quality of "watery.")
Themes
nature
|weather
|description
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Looking light and weak in color or light, not strong or bright.
Having a pale, weak, or faint color or light, as if it has been diluted with water.
B2
4
Usage pattern:
a watery [smile/excuse/performance]
He gave me a watery smile and turned away.
Erőtlenül rám mosolygott, aztán elfordult.
Their apology felt watery and insincere.
A bocsánatkérésük gyengének és őszintétlennek hatott.
The team’s watery performance disappointed the fans.
She offered a watery excuse for being late, and nobody believed her.
His laughter was thin and watery, without real joy.
Learner examples
She gave a small, watery smile.
Halványan, erőtlenül elmosolyodott.
He made a watery excuse for missing the meeting.
Gyenge kifogást hozott fel arra, hogy miért hiányzott a megbeszélésről.
The singer gave a watery performance tonight.
I do not trust his watery apology.
His answer was watery and did not help.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "watery" here literally means "full of water." In phrases like "a watery smile" or "a watery excuse," it is figurative and means weak or not strong, not that there is actual water.
Meaning
weak or feeble in effect
Collocations
watery smile
|watery grin
|watery excuse
|watery performance
|watery apology
Synonyms
feeble (Very similar; implies physical or emotional weakness, sometimes slightly more formal.)
|
unconvincing (Common for explanations or excuses; focuses on failing to persuade.)
Antonyms
confident (Opposite in terms of emotional strength; describes behavior that is sure and strong.)
|
forceful (Stresses strong, powerful effect, the opposite of a "watery" or weak one.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|evaluation
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not strong or sure; weak and without power, often used for a smile, excuse, or performance.
Weak, feeble, or lacking strength and confidence, especially of a smile, excuse, or performance.
B2
5
Usage pattern:
a watery [environment/area/substance]
Scientists believe the moon once had a much more watery surface.
A tudósok szerint a Hold felszíne valaha sokkal vízben gazdagabb volt.
The film shows a strange, watery world filled with floating plants.
A film egy különös, vízzel teli világot mutat be, tele úszó növényekkel.
After weeks of rain, the fields turned into a flat, watery plain.
The painting captures the city’s reflection in the watery streets.
From the air, the delta looks like a wide, watery maze.
Learner examples
The valley became a wide, watery area after the flood.
Az árvíz után a völgy széles, vízzel borított területté vált.
We walked through a low, watery field near the river.
Egy alacsonyan fekvő, vizenyős mezőn mentünk át a folyó közelében.
The planet may have had a warm, watery surface long ago.
The birds live in a wet, watery world of lakes and rivers.
The picture shows a dark, watery street after heavy rain.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with the food-related sense and use "watery" only for taste or texture. Remember it can also describe places or worlds that are full of water, especially in nature or science contexts.
Meaning
containing or filled with water
Collocations
watery world
|watery planet
|watery surface
|watery landscape
|watery environment
Synonyms
water-filled (More literal and descriptive; clearly states that something is filled with water.)
|
waterlogged (Common for land or objects; emphasizes being overly soaked with water, often negatively.)
Antonyms
dry (General opposite; describes something with little or no water.)
Themes
nature
|science
|geography
Definition
Made mostly of water, or having a lot of water in it or on it.
Consisting mainly of water, or having a large amount of water present in an area or substance.
Grammar
Dictionary form
watery
IPA
GB/wˈɔtɚi/
US/wˈɔtɚi/
Syllables & stress
wa - tery (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (wa)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: watery
Word family
Core family
water
noun A1
Related words
waterproof
adjective B1
Negative and opposite forms
waterless
adjective
Expressions
watery eyes
1/wˈɔtɚi ˈaɪz/
fixed phrase
eyes full of tears or fluid
Eyes that are full of water or tears and look very wet, often from a cold, allergy, or strong emotion.
Examples
- His allergies always give him watery eyes in the spring.
- She looked at me with watery eyes, trying not to cry.
- The medicine helps with a runny nose and watery eyes.
watery grave
1/wˈɔtɚi ɡɹˈeɪv/
idiom
literary
death by drowning at sea
Death by drowning or by sinking under water, especially in the sea.
Examples
- Many sailors in the storm found a watery grave.
- The ship went down, giving its passengers a watery grave.
- Without life jackets, they might have met a watery grave.
watery smile
1/wˈɔtɚi smˈaɪl/
fixed phrase
weak or uncertain smile
A weak, small smile that shows little real happiness or confidence.
Examples
- He gave me a watery smile and nodded.
- She managed only a watery smile when she heard the bad news.
- The child offered a watery smile as he tried to be brave.