dehydrate
verb
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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.
Examples of dehydrate in a Sentence
Elizabeth Rayne, ArsTechnica, 19 Apr. 2025
Saunas can stimulate your metabolism. Don’t expect to shave off major pounds per sauna session (that wouldn’t be healthy and would likely be dehydrating, Dr. Shen points out).
—Mara Santilli, Flow Space, 16 Apr. 2025
Caffeine and alcohol may be mildly dehydrating and can also slightly increase blood pressure.
—Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 10 Apr. 2025
However, when the body is dehydrated, the vocal cords are more likely to become irritated and there is a higher risk of injury.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dehydrate
Cite this Entry
“Dehydrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dehydrate. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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dehydrate
verb
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dehydrate
verb
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