If something such as a proposal, speech, or statement is watered down, it is made much weaker and less forceful, or less likely to make people angry. Proposed legislation affecting bird-keepers has been watered down. see also watered-down = tone down
If you water down a substance, for example food or drink, you add water to it to make it weaker. You can water down a glass of wine and make it last twice as long I bought a water-based paint, then decided to water it down even more. = dilute
If you describe something such as a proposal, speech, or statement as watered-down, you mean that it is weaker or less forceful than its original form. The British government introduced a watered-down version of the proposals. see also water down. a watered-down plan, report etc has been changed so that it is less extreme or forceful than when it was first written - used to show disapproval