dehydrate

verb

de·​hy·​drate (ˌ)dē-ˈhī-ˌdrāt 

dehydrated; dehydrating; dehydrates

transitive verb

1

a

: to remove bound water or hydrogen and oxygen from (a chemical compound) in the proportion in which they form water

b

: to remove water from (something, such as a food)

2

: to deprive of vitality or savor

intransitive verb

: to lose water or body fluids

dehydrator

(ˌ)dē-ˈhī-ˌdrā-tər 

noun

Did you know?

Dehydrating food is a good way to preserve it; raisins, which are dehydrated grapes, are a good example. Dehydration through industrial processes makes it possible to keep food even longer and store it in a smaller space. Freeze-drying produces food that only needs rehydration—that is, the addition of water—to restore its original consistency. Runners, cyclists, and hikers fearful of dehydration seem to be constantly hydrating themselves nowadays, sometimes even using a shoulder pack with a tube going straight into the mouth. Dehydrate can also be used for making something "dry" or "lifeless;" thus, a dull teacher can dehydrate American history, and an unimaginative staging can dehydrate a great Shakespeare play.

Synonyms

• castrate
• damp
• dampen
• deaden
• desiccate
• devitalize
• enervate
• geld
• lobotomize
• petrify

Examples of dehydrate in a Sentence

Salt dehydrates the meat and keeps it from spoiling.

Athletes drink lots of water so they don't dehydrate.

Exercising in this heat will dehydrate you.

Recent Examples on the Web

The study, which was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2020, sought to investigate the impact of water supplementation on cognitive performance and mood by essentially dehydrating the participants (who were young adults) for 12 hours overnight. —Hannah Coates, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2024

This fungus enhances the sweetness of dessert wines, dehydrating ripe grapes without compromising sugar content. —Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2024

Determining whether you are dehydrated from a lack of water intake or too much water loss is important. —Michael Menna, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2024

The Potatoes The secret to Waffle House hashbrowns starts with the shredded potatoes, which arrive on location dehydrated. —Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

dehydrate

verb

de·​hy·​drate (ˈ)dē-ˈhī-ˌdrāt 

1

: to remove water from (as foods)

2

: to lose water or body fluids

dehydration

ˌdē-ˌhī-ˈdrā-shən

noun

Medical Definition

dehydrate

verb

de·​hy·​drate (ˈ)dē-ˈhī-ˌdrāt 

dehydrated; dehydrating

transitive verb

1

: to remove bound water or hydrogen and oxygen from (a chemical compound) in the proportion in which they form water

2

: to remove water from (as foods)

intransitive verb

: to lose water or body fluids

dehydrator

-ˌdrāt-ər 

noun