dry up

verb

dried up; drying up; dries up

transitive verb

: to cut off the supply of

intransitive verb

1

: to disappear as if by evaporation, draining, or cutting off of a source of supply

2

: to wither or die through gradual loss of vitality

3

: to stop talking

Synonyms of dry up

• quiet (down)
• hush
• clam up
• shut up
• settle (down)
• pipe down
• cool (down)
• calm (down)

Examples of dry up in a Sentence

sick of her constant complaining, he angrily told her to dry up

Recent Examples on the Web

Colds and allergies have similar symptoms like sneezing, runny noses and watery eyes, which is why they can both be treated by a histamine-blocking medication that can help dry up your sinuses. — Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026

Yet Kyiv’s stockpile has dried up as the United States husbands an arsenal that has been significantly depleted by the Iran war. — Eric Ciaramella, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2026

The foreign money and visitors could dry up, however, if the Saudis prove incapable of defending themselves from Houthi attacks. — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

The guest lectures, speaking engagements, and board memberships have all dried up, and Housewives is pretty much the only thing keeping her afloat. — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for dry up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup