there must be something in the water

there must be some·thing in the wa·ter
UK/ðɛə mʌst biː ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈwɔːtə/US/ðɛəɹ mʌst bi ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈwɔtəɹ/US[-ɾəɹ]US, cot caught merger/ðɛəɹ mʌst bi ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈwɑtəɹ/

phrase

There are so many instances of something unusual, such as in people's behavior, that there must be a common cause.

Meanings

phrase

alternative there is something in the water

  1. humorousidiomaticThere are so many instances of something unusual, such as in people's behavior, that there must be a common cause.

    Our fathers' fathers / Hand-me-downs / The clip for the rounds / Just squeeze, don't choke / The future weeps in the shadow of the gun smoke / There must be something in the water / There must be something in the water / Over and over and over and over again / Violent men meet violent ends

    2019, “Something in the Water”, performed by Stray from the Path, UNFD

Origin

From the idea that there is a substance in drinking water which many people have drunk, thus affecting their behavior.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish onkohan vedessä jotain outoa?
  • onkohan vedessä jotain outoa?there are so many instances of something unusual that there must be a common cause

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with there must be something in the water

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

there must be something in the water. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/there%20must%20be%20something%20in%20the%20water

MLA

“there must be something in the water.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/there%20must%20be%20something%20in%20the%20water. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “there must be something in the water,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/there%20must%20be%20something%20in%20the%20water.

Source: there must be something in the water on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.