Watered down means weakened by adding liquid, or made less forceful. Watered down beer, a watered down proposal.
The figurative use is far the commoner and is always a criticism. A watered down version of a plan has kept the shape and lost the point.
1phrasewatered downWeakened by adding liquid, or made less forceful.
“The bill was watered down twice before it passed.”
watered down is a phrase.
Practised in Smell & Taste