moisten

verb

moist·​en ˈmȯi-sᵊn How to pronounce moisten (audio)
moistened; moistening ˈmȯis-niŋ How to pronounce moisten (audio)
ˈmȯi-sᵊn-iŋ
Synonyms of moistennext

transitive verb

: to make moist
add more water as needed to moisten the dough

intransitive verb

: to become moist
moistener
ˈmȯis-nər How to pronounce moisten (audio)
ˈmȯi-sᵊn-ər
noun

Synonyms of moisten

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of moisten in a Sentence

Corn syrup can be used to moisten and flavor baked foods. The chemical reaction begins as soon as the powder is moistened.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Blinking encourages tears that moisten your eyes. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2026 Cooks use honey to sweeten and moisten baked goods, mellow vinaigrettes, and balance sweet-and-sour sauces. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 22 June 2026 Some soils resist water penetration; try a wetting agent to help moisten the soil. — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2026 For set-in stains, moisten the area with cold water prior to applying the enzymatic cleaner. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for moisten

Word History

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of moisten was in 1559

Phrases Containing moisten

Browse Nearby Words

moist color
moisten
moistener
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Moisten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moisten. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

moisten

verb
moist·​en ˈmȯis-ᵊn How to pronounce moisten (audio)
moistened; moistening ˈmȯis-niŋ How to pronounce moisten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become moist
moistener
ˈmȯis-nər How to pronounce moisten (audio)
-ᵊn-ər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on moisten

Nglish: Translation of moisten for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All