Wet your appetite vs. Whet your appetite

Wet your appetite

/wɛt jɔr ˈæpɪˌtaɪt/

To make someone interested in something or eager to experience or learn more about it

Examples:

The aroma of baking bread will wet your appetite.A glimpse of the new drama series will wet your appetite.She showed him old travel photos to wet his appetite for adventure.

Synonyms:

stimulateenticetempt

Antonyms:

satisfy

Whet your appetite

/wɛt jɔr ˈæpɪˌtaɪt/

To make someone eager or interested in something, particularly food.

Examples:

A preview of the film will whet your appetite for more.The appetizer platter was designed to whet your appetite.The trailer whet my appetite for the upcoming series.

Synonyms:

temptenticestimulate

Antonyms:

satiatedisinterest

Ways to tell them apart:

• Wet your appetite is similar to getting something moist, relating to making someone eager for something.
• Whet your appetite is about sharpening or stimulating your desire for something.
• Think of whet as in whetstone which sharpens blades, hence sharpen or stimulate.
• Wet is connected with water or liquids, it's not correct in the phrase.
• Remember: whet is the right choice to indicate increasing interest or desire.