Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Undiluted; containing no added water or other substance: Used primarily to describe alcoholic beverages, especially spirits, that are served without being mixed with water, ice, or other mixers.
   • At full potency or concentration: Can describe any substance used in its pure, unadulterated form.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • He prefers his whiskey full-strength. (He likes his whiskey served without any water or ice.)
  • The cleaning solution should be used full-strength for tough stains. (The cleaning solution should be applied in its concentrated, undiluted form for difficult stains.)
  • For this recipe, use full-strength vinegar, not the diluted kind. (Use vinegar that has not been watered down.)

Advanced Usage

• "To drink something full-strength": To consume a beverage, especially an alcoholic spirit, without diluting it.
  • In some cultures, it is traditional to drink certain liquors full-strength.
• Technical/Industrial Context: Describing chemicals, disinfectants, or solutions used at their manufactured concentration.
  • The instructions warn against using the acid full-strength on delicate surfaces.

Variants and Related Words

• Neat (adj): A common synonym for when referring to spirits served without ice or mixers.
  • She ordered a neat bourbon.
• Straight (adj): Similar to , meaning undiluted liquor.
  • A glass of straight vodka.
• Undiluted (adj): The general term meaning not weakened by adding another substance.
• Concentrated (adj): Having a high strength or density of a substance.

Synonyms

• Undiluted
• Neat (for drinks)
• Straight (for drinks)
• Uncut
• Pure

Antonyms

• Diluted
• Watered-down
• Weak
• Mixed

Related Phrases

• Served neat: Specifically describes how a drink, usually a spirit, is presented.
  • His scotch was served neat.
• At full strength: A phrase often used interchangeably with the adjective .
  • The bleach is most effective at full strength.

Adjective

1. without water
   • took his whiskey neat