to wet

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   To make something slightly wet, often with water or another liquid.

   Grammar: Takes an object: wet a cloth. The past form can be wetted or wet.

   Patterns

   • wet something
   • wet something with something

   Wet the cloth with warm water before cleaning the table.

   She wet her finger and turned the page.

   He wet a paper towel to wipe the counter.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitive

   To accidentally pass urine, especially of a baby or a pet, or in your sleep.

   Grammar: Can take an object (wet the bed) or stand alone (The baby wet again).

   Patterns

   • wet the bed
   • wet yourself
   • wet your pants

   The child wet the bed during the night.

   The puppy wet on the floor near the door.

   He was so frightened he nearly wet himself.

Word forms

Common combinations

wet the bed

The little boy still wets the bed sometimes.

wet your lips

She wet her lips before speaking.

wet a cloth

Wet a cloth and wipe the screen gently.

wet yourself

The cold water made him almost wet himself.

wet the paper

Don't wet the paper or the ink will run.

Synonyms and how they differ

dampen

Dampen means to make slightly wet and is common with cloth or soil; it sounds a little more technical.

moisten

Moisten is a gentler, more formal word for making something slightly wet.

soak

Soak means to make something very wet, much more than wet does.

splash

Splash means to hit with liquid so it flies around, not simply to make wet.

Opposites

Word family

wet adjective

covered in liquid

wetness noun

the state of being wet

wetting noun

the act of making something wet

Commonly confused: to wet or whet?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “to wet”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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