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 of dehydrate

• undermine
• weaken
• drain
• desiccate
• exhaust
• petrify
• wear

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

Michelin was slightly dehydrated when she and the three kids were found, the sheriff added. —Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025

The blemish-busting active helps slough away the dead skin cells that contribute to clogged pores, while hydrating glycerin prevents your skin from feeling tight and dehydrated post-cleanse. —Emily Orofino, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2025

The article chronicled the lives of two childhood friends, Mohammad Saiyub and Amrit Kumar, whose journey home to the village of Devari became a viral story after a photograph captured one friend cradling the other, feverish and dehydrated, on the side of a highway. —Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 21 Nov. 2025

Researchers estimate that about 17-28% of older adults are chronically dehydrated. —Sherri Gordon, Health, 12 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for dehydrate

• dihydrate
• trihydrate
• monohydrate

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