to pour cold water

Examples

• All

• Every time someone suggests a fun outing, she always pours cold water on it by reminding us of our responsibilities.

• He wants to pour cold water on the story.

• He wants to pour cold water on the story.

• Peter helped me into the tub and poured cold water from the kettle over my head.

  Fiction book (1999)

• Yet here was Churchill, ready to pour cold water on the American public's postwar exaltation.

  Academic text (2011)

• Far be it from me to pour cold water on all your fun, but if Mrs. Scrubitt catches you trying to escape, you'll all get six months in the coop.

  Wonka (2023)

• When she excitedly shared her plans for a new project, he seemed to pour cold water on her enthusiasm with his negative comments.

• I didn't mean to pour cold water on your idea, but I think it's too risky to pursue right now.

Synonyms

C

to chill

vsto pour cold water

148 7.2

To make people feel afraid or less enthusiastic

is limited to lowering enthusiasm without implying fear or alarm

P

to put a damper on

vsto pour cold water

• Informal

11 5.8

Make something less fun or exciting

is narrower, focusing on discouraging excitement about plans or ideas

T

to throw cold water on

vsto pour cold water

• Informal

2 7.4

Make people less excited about an idea or plan by saying bad things about it

is about lowering enthusiasm for a plan or idea rather than broad criticism

D

to dampen spirits

vsto pour cold water

2 4.9

Make someone feel less happy and excited

is specifically about discouraging enthusiasm for plans or ideas rather than general sadness

P

to pour cold water on

vsto pour cold water

• Informal

1 7.4

Make someone feel less excited about an idea or plan

is more about discouraging general enthusiasm rather than only criticizing ideas

S

to squash enthusiasm

vsto pour cold water

6.5

To stop someone from feeling excited

is about weakening enthusiasm but may be less deliberate or forceful

Antonyms

E

to encourage

∞ 2.3

Give someone support and confidence so they try or keep doing something

I

to inspire

837 3.2

Cause someone to feel excited and ready to act

How Discouraging

to demoralize

33 6.1

to pour cold water

• Informal

1 7.4

to dishearten

8 5.3

to criticize

701 3.3

to question

777 3.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology