Edit This Grammar Lesson: Is it Whet Your Appetite or Wet Your Appetite?
- Steve Gamel
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
We've all had that moment when there's a perfect opportunity to use a common phrase in our everyday writing, and we draw a complete blank on how to use it correctly. Take "whet your appetite," for example. You might have seen someone write, "wet your appetite" at some point in the past, only to remember seeing "whet your appetite" elsewhere.
Which is it, dang it?! Trust me ... you're not alone. We use a ton of common phrases all the time in conversation. But they don't always look right on paper.
This is one of them, and I'm here to clear up any lingering confusion.
Whet vs. Wet: This Is Important Stuff!
You'll see "whet your appetite" and the incorrect "wet your appetite" used so often in written text when referring to increasing your desire, eagerness, or interest in something that it can be difficult to know which is correct. I won't waste any more of your time ...
The correct usage is "whet your appetite."
Whet means to sharpen, and in the expression, "whet your appetite," it means to stimulate or increase your desire or interest in something. You wouldn't use "wet" because, well, why would you hydrate your appetite? Personally, I think much of the confusion comes from another common phrase: "wet your whistle." In that expression, "wet" is correct because the phrase refers to taking a drink to quench your thirst—or, more literally, to moisten your throat. You wouldn't "whet" your whistle because you're not trying to sharpen it. That would be kind of painful if you think about it! :)
These appetizers will whet your appetite for what is to come.
The movie trailer will whet your appetite for the full experience.
These photos will whet your appetite for another vacation.
Simple once you see it, right? Hopefully now, you will never unsee it.
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It's fun to tease friends for grammar mistakes or point out other errors in written copy. But any spelling or grammar error in business writing—brochures, website copy, blog posts, press releases, newsletters, and more—can wreak havoc on your company's image.
Studies show that when choosing between two companies, customers prefer the one with clear and error-free written communication.
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STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This®, a writing and editing services company in Denton, TX. He is also the author of Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.
