Is water wet? You can think about this for a short moment. It sounds stupid, doesn’t it? Well, don’t judge the question. It is meant to sound as stupid as it sounds. Of course, water is wet.
If water can get things wet, then it has to be wet. When you touch water slightly, you should be able to feel the wetness.
Even the explanation of this question sounds a bit silly. Note; no one will ask you this question seriously.
Below are 20 similar phrases to “Is water wet?”
20 Phrases Like “Is Water Wet”
- Is the sky blue?
- Is the Pope Catholic?
- Obviously not.
- Why don’t you tell me?
- Is fire hot?
- Obviously (Of Course)
- Why not?
- Trust me
- Is blood red?
- Who cares?
- You don’t think so?
- What did you expect?
- What does it look like?
- Are grasses green?
- No idea
- Do I look like I’m joking?
- Is this a game to you?
- Do dogs bark?
- Not sure.
- Maybe
Is the sky blue?
This doesn’t sound as stupid as asking ‘Is water wet’. However, the two phrases are meant to mean the same thing.
While this phrase doesn’t sound as stupid, it should be even more stupid. Why? You have to admit that you thought twice about the idea of water being wet.
You have to give it some good thought before concluding whether the Water is wet or not. On the other hand, the sky is obviously blue (maybe not always). Whatever color the sky is, a person simply has to look up to know.
Everybody knows that the sky is blue. This is what makes the question stupid; the answer is obviously YES.
If you will be using this phrase to imply an emphatic Yes, it is advisable to make sure the sky is blue. Sometimes, the sky can appear with a different color so your ‘emphatic YES’ may just not work.
Is the Pope Catholic?
Here is another perfect replacement for the idiom, ‘Is water wet’. It has the same meaning; ‘Emphatic yes’.
This may sound much better than asking if the water is wet. You may be surprised that more people are more sure about the Pope being Catholic than about Water is wet.
This question also sounds stupid but it is only used to imply that a previously asked question has an obvious answer.
Obviously not
This can be considered the near opposite of ‘Is water wet’. When you ask if water is wet as a response to another person’s question, you are expecting the person to say ‘Of course, yes’ or ‘Obviously’.
While ‘Water is wet’ is for saying ‘Yes’ to things, this simply means ‘No’. It is not an idiom so it should be easy to tell what this means.
Both idioms are similar in the sense that they can respond to questions whose answers are obvious, although one emphasizes ‘Yes’ while the other says ‘No’.
Why don’t you tell me?
People often say ‘tell me’ in response to some questions to imply that the person asking should know the answer.
It may also just imply that you know what the person thinks you don’t know. This may be a much better option than asking demeaning rhetorical questions like ‘Is water wet’.
When a person asks you a serious question and you think the answer is obvious, you can ask this question.
This suggests that he or she can get the answer to the question by just thinking about it a bit more. This doesn’t suggest that the question is stupid so you won’t be insulting anyone.
A person may also ask a question like ‘Why would I do that’ as a form of pretense. When you respond with this question, you are suggesting that you already know the truth.
Is fire hot?
“Is fire hot?” is a straightforward question that states an obvious and universally understood fact.
This phrase is often used to underscore the inherent properties of a well-known phenomenon. It can be employed in various situations, from educational discussions to casual conversations, where the speaker wants to emphasize the indisputable nature of certain elements.
Obviously (Of Course)
This is a synonym of ‘Is water wet’ in simple English. It is also much more polite. When you say ‘obviously’ in response to a question, you are confirming the person’s assumption and saying it’s obvious.
The same applies when you say ‘of course’ in response. This can only work if the question is polar e.g. ‘Is that the President speaking?’
Why not?
Speaking of responses to Polar questions, what is expected of you is a ‘Yes’ or a ‘No’. However, these two options may be way too specific for what you are sure of.
You just may have to create your own options to portray your understanding or view of the situation.
For example, you may be asked a question that you are only sure of by what you see. It is very easy to just say ‘Yes’ but asking ‘Why not’ is a way of checking if the questioner has a contrary opinion.
In some cases, people ask questions that they already have opinions about just to know if you have a better understanding of the situation.
In a situation like this, one of you probably understands the situation more than the other.
With this question, you can expect one of two responses. First, the questioner may just accept your question as a ‘Yes’. Second, the questioner may answer your question, that is ‘Why not’.
This question suggests that the simple solution is obvious. The questioner may respond with his or her doubts which may not have been clear to you earlier.
At the end of the day, you both get an equal level of understanding of the situation.
Trust me
‘Trust me’ sounds like something we use every day, even when we are spreading rumors. Don’t worry about it, however. It’s a bit similar to saying ‘Obviously’, though equally different.
When you say ‘obviously’, you are implying that the person doesn’t have to just hear your words. The listener doesn’t have to trust what you say but he or she should trust what is clear to him or her.
In other words, the situation doesn’t require any elucidation from anyone since the answer to the question is already clear.
This is a good response to a polar question if the question is based on what you have said earlier.
Unlike ‘Obviously’, ‘Trust me’ is simply a request to be heard and believed by your listener. In other words, what you are saying cannot be proven but you are promising your listener the truth.
Again, this doesn’t mean it’s the truth.
Is blood red?
So, is blood actually red? That sounds like a silly question but nothing is sillier than actually responding to this question. It is the same as asking if water is wet. It is the same as asking if the sky is blue.
However, this is a better option if you are hoping to pass the same meaning.
When you ask if blood is red, in response to a polar question, it indirectly tells the other person that the answer to the question is ‘Yes’. It also implies that the person should already know the answer since it is quite obvious.
Why is this a better option? Well, everyone knows blood is red so he or she wouldn’t be thinking twice about the answer.
He or she may only think twice about saying the answer because it is silly.
Who cares?
Here is another improvised answer to a polar question. This sounds just as rude as asking if water is wet in response to a polar question.
When you say ‘who cares’, it doesn’t mean nobody cares. It simply means you don’t care about the topic of the polar question.
It may also imply that the person you are speaking to ‘should not’ care about it. It doesn’t give a specific answer and doesn’t state whether you know anything about what is being asked. It is not a ‘No’. It is not a ‘Yes’. It is not a ‘maybe’.
You don’t think so?
‘Is the Pope really Catholic?’ We all know questions that sound like this. By this, I am referring to questions of confirmation with a tinge of doubt. The answer often expected to this kind of question is ‘No’.
By saying ‘No’, you will most likely be confirming the person’s doubtful suspicions. However, when you respond by saying ‘Yes’, you just may get why he or she doubts that answer.
When you ask this question, you are indirectly saying ‘Yes’. This may be your preferred option if you care about what the person believes.
Simply saying ‘Yes’ may get you no idea of the person’s opinion. However, this suggested phrase will imply ‘Yes’ and simultaneously ask what the person thinks about the topic of your conversation.
What did you expect?
When you are asked a polar question of confirmation that sounds slightly doubtful, you should know that the questioner likely is not in support of the idea of the question.
For example, if a person asks ‘Is the strange man really a cop?’ This shows that the questioner either doesn’t believe that the strange man is a cop or is just surprised by the idea.
When you ask this question, you are implying ‘Yes’ with confidence in your answer. You are also engaging the questioner in a conversation concerning his or her doubts.
What does it look like?
This doesn’t only work as a response to polar questions. However, when you are responding to polar questions, this implies that the answer to the question is obvious.
The answer to the polar question is ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ but this response doesn’t say it. It simply mean the answer is clear and should already be known.
Are grasses green?
Grasses are green. This may not apply to all grasses in all seasons, however. This idiom is another way of giving an emphatic ‘Yes’.
You should say this to someone who understands the idiom… or say this when there are actual green grasses around.
No idea
Your response to a question should be limited to your understanding. Instead of lying, you can simply say how much you know, even if all you know is ‘nothing’.
When you say ‘No idea’, the person simply asks someone else.
Do I look like I’m joking?
The question may be based on a statement you made earlier. When you ask this rhetorical question, it is meant to show that you are serious about all you said earlier.
This doesn’t mean this expression is not used to deceive people.
Is this a game to you?
The phrase “Is this a game to you?” is a rhetorical question often employed to convey a sense of frustration, disbelief, or disappointment. When someone uses this expression, they are essentially questioning the seriousness or sincerity of the other person’s actions, decisions, or behavior.
It implies that the speaker perceives the situation at hand as important, genuine, or consequential, and they are dismayed by the perceived lack of respect or gravity that the other person is attributing to it. This phrase is commonly used in situations where the speaker feels that their concerns or the significance of a matter are not being acknowledged appropriately.
It suggests a desire for the other person to recognize the gravity of the situation and to respond with a more thoughtful or responsible attitude. The use of this expression is often prompted by a sense of exasperation or disappointment when the speaker feels that the seriousness of the matter is being undermined or treated casually by the other party.
Do dogs bark?
This is another rhetorical question that may replace the idiom ‘is water wet’. This may also be a better option since we all know that dogs bag. Not everyone really knows that water is wet. In fact, it is a debatable topic.
Not sure
This is a bit different from saying ‘No idea’. ‘No idea’ implies that you know absolutely nothing about what you are being asked.
When you say you are ‘not sure’, that means you may have an idea but you can’t back them up. In other words, they could be rumors you heard or just a hunch.
Maybe
This is similar to saying you are ‘not sure’. In fact, we may say they are the same.
By saying ‘maybe’, you are saying you are not sure but this leans closer to a ‘Yes’. Then you can say why you think ‘Yes’ and why you are not sure about that answer.