dehydrate

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verb de·hy·drate \ (ˌ)dē-ˈhī-ˌdrāt \

Definition of dehydrate

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

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dehydrator

play \-ˌdrā-tər\ noun

See dehydrate defined for English-language learners

See dehydrate defined for kids

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 of dehydrate from the Web

This feature-rich stainless steel countertop oven comes with a backlit digital display for selecting from 10 preset functions: toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, warm, pizza, proof, air fry, reheat, cookies, slow cook and dehydrate.

— the good housekeeping institute, Good Housekeeping, "Breville the Smart Oven Air #BOV900," 26 Aug. 2017
The CO2 is then captured from the gas stream, compressed, and dehydrated.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "How Does Clean Coal Work?," 23 Aug. 2017
The dry office air-conditioning has dehydrated cuticles, slowing growth, and despite attempting to cover them with the season’s brightest shades of neoprene pink and acid orange, chipping is inevitable—evidence that a problem may lie beneath.

— jenna rennert, Vogue, "How to Grow Out Your Nails in 2 Weeks or Less," 7 Aug. 2017
Instead of bursting and browning, like in a cobbler or pie, the low temperature slowly dehydrates them, intensifying their flavors.

— ashley mason, Bon Appetit, "The Amazing Thing You Haven't Been Doing With Strawberries," 1 Aug. 2017
President Carter was dehydrated working in the hot sun.

— tierney mcafee, PEOPLE.com, "Back to Work! Former President Jimmy Carter Returns to Habitat for Humanity Site One Day After Collapsing," 14 July 2017
President Carter was dehydrated working in the hot sun.

— tierney mcafee, PEOPLE.com, "Back to Work! Former President Jimmy Carter Returns to Habitat for Humanity Site One Day After Collapsing," 14 July 2017
He was dehydrated working in the hot sun and has been taken offsite for observation.

— james hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Trump’s children become bigger liabilities for the White House, complicate damage-control efforts," 14 July 2017
President Carter was dehydrated working in the hot sun.

— karl de vries, CNN, "Jimmy Carter taken for observation after suffering from dehydration," 13 July 2017

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.

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.