dehydrate

verb

de·hy·drate | \ (ˌ)dē-ˈhī-ˌdrāt

dehydrated; dehydrating; dehydrates

Definition of dehydrate

transitive verb

1a : 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

Other Words from dehydrate Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about dehydrate

Keep scrolling for more

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.

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

After Sun Body Soother has ingredients to help heal dehydrated skin. — Elizabeth Denton, Allure, "Ouai's After Sun Foam Is Here to Soothe Your Skin This Summer," 24 Apr. 2019 Hyaluronic acid holds 1,000 times its weight in water, which helps seal in moisture and provide extra protection in dehydrating conditions like sun, altitude, and airplane cabins. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "6 Celebrity Facialists Share Their Favorite Airplane Beauty Staples," 17 Nov. 2018 But your body tends to dehydrate more in crosswind. — Susan Miller Degnan, miamiherald, "How to survive Sunday’s windy, warm and possibly rainy Miami Marathon," 26 Jan. 2018 Then, the dough is individually dehydrated and fried, and the different types of rinds are combined into the final dish. — Charles Passy, WSJ, "Pork Rinds With an Upscale Twist," 6 Sep. 2018 Fever dehydrates your system, in part through increased sweating from that elevated temperature. — Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, "Fact or Fiction?: Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever," 3 Jan. 2014 The heat can dehydrate laborers, and higher temperatures demand more frequent breaks. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "Extreme heat has already killed several outdoor workers this summer, and climate change will heat waves more costly.," 27 July 2018 Here was the toxicity of social media for all to see: a sunbaked scene of disaster tents, soaked mattresses, and millennials with roller bags looking wide-eyed and dehydrated. — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, "Netflix’s Fyre Is a Story You Have to See to Believe," 15 Jan. 2019 The vet informed Taylor that in addition to being dehydrated, O.G.'s brain was swelling due to high levels of sodium. — Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, "6-Year-Old Dog Dies From Saltwater Poisoning After a Playful Day at the Beach," 20 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dehydrate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.