Aims Global warming does not mean similar warmer temperatures between daytime and nighttime. Soybean (Glycine max) is a widely planted legume crop around the world and an important food crop in China. The aim of this study was to understand the responses of soybean growth and water utilization to future asymmetric warming, which would provide scientific reference for evaluating the adaptation of soybean to the future climate scenarios. Methods This experiment was carried out in artificial climate chambers, using the method of potted plants, under three temperature conditions; contrast (CON, 26 °C during the day and 16 °C during night), symmetric warming (ETs, elevated temperature of 3 °C both during the day and night), asymmetric warming (ETa, elevated temperature of 2 °C during the day and elevated temperature of 4 °C during night). We investigated the differential effects of diurnal asymmetric and symmetric warming on the yield and water consumption of soybean. Important findings The results revealed that, under the background of 26 °C during the day and 16 °C during night: 1) the effect of ETs on soybean yields showed no significant function that mainly benefit from the increase in the amount of biomass to ease negative influence of decrease in the harvest index. ETa reduced yields of soybean by 38.9% (p < 0.05) due to both significant decrease in harvest index and yield components (pod number per plant, grain number per pod and 100-grain weight). 2) ETs showed no obvious effect on the whole growing stage evapotranspiration (ET) of soybean, while ETa reduced the whole growing stage ET by 14.8% (p < 0.05). 3) The effect of the two warming pattern on water consumption of soybean were not significant. The difference in water consumption was mainly derived from the difference in transpiration (T). ETs and ETa reduced total transpiration by 10.7% (p < 0.05) and 26.1% (p < 0.05), respectively. In conclusion, our results suggest that ETs will underestimate the detrimental effects of real climate warming (ETa) on the growth and yield of soybean, and overestimate the effects on water consumption of soybean.