water down

verb

1. To dilute with water; to add water to.

   “You need to water down the lemonade a bit more to make it less sweet, dear.”

2. To make weaker, less effective.

   “"Scaling back its ambition further, at this stage, will just mean the economic and social benefit of HS2 for communities across the UK is further watered down. Our national infrastructure should not become a political football."”

   “For example, Tory ministers are looking to water down key climate policies such as the ban on petrol and diesel cars by 2030, phasing out gas boilers by 2035, and low traffic neighbourhoods.”

3. To simplify or oversimplify; to make easier; to make less difficult.

   “Near-synonym: dumb down”

   “If you plan to teach this material to children, you may need to water it down.”

4. To make less restrictive; to make more lenient.