wet
/wet/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Covered with water or another liquid. Something wet is not dry. It may feel damp, soaked, or moist.
- My shoes are wet from the rain.
- Please don't sit on the wet paint.
- Her hair was still wet after the shower.
verb
To make something wet with water or another liquid. This can happen by accident or on purpose.
- He wet a cloth and cleaned the table.
- Don't wet your clothes in the sink.
- She wet her hands before cooking.
noun
The wet is rainy weather or a wet place or period. It is often used in phrases like "in the wet" or "the wet season."
- The roads are dangerous in the wet.
- We travel less during the wet.
- The wet season starts in June.
Adinary Nuance
Wet is the plain, everyday word for something covered with liquid. It is broader and more natural than damp, which suggests only a little moisture, and more general than soaked, which suggests a lot of water. In weather writing, wet often describes rainy conditions, while moist is softer and less common in daily speech.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- ướt
- Spanish
- mojado
- Chinese
- 湿的
- Japanese
- 濡れた
- Korean
- 젖은
Etymology
Old English wǣt, from Germanic roots related to water and dampness. It has been common in English since early times.
Common phrases
wet clotheswet hairwet weatherwet season
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is wet more common than damp or moist?
- Yes. Wet is the most direct and common word. Damp and moist are more specific and often sound softer.
- Can I say "I am wet"?
- Yes, but it can sound awkward in some contexts. People usually say their clothes, hair, or shoes are wet.
- What is the difference between wet and soaked?
- Wet means covered with liquid. Soaked means very wet, usually all through.
- Is wet a formal word?
- No. It is a common everyday word, and it also works in academic writing.