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

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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

There’s research to back up coffee’s lack of dehydrating powers. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Is Coffee Actually Dehydrating?," 6 Mar. 2019 The reality is that there are no shortcuts: Drinking enough water—64 oz of fluid per day, adding 6-8 oz for every additional cup of dehydrating coffee, alcohol, or soda—is essential for getting rid of a bug. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "6 All-Natural Strategies for Fighting the Cold and Flu This Winter," 8 Jan. 2019 In preparation for the 12-hour flight to Tokyo, Ronan advised the players not to fall asleep and to abstain from alcohol because of its dehydrating effect. — Dan Shaughnessy, BostonGlobe.com, "After a tough loss, Red Sox have a long road ahead," 26 June 2019 Onion powder, on the other hand, comes from onions that have been dried (either air-dried, dehydrated, or freeze-dried) and then crushed to varying degrees, from flakes to powder. — Emma Wartzman, Bon Appétit, "Wait, Can I Substitute Onion Powder for Fresh Onions?," 26 June 2019 Animal abuse was also added due to the two malnourished and dehydrated dogs found inside the Comer residence during the investigation, Lewis added. — Aubrey Carpenter, azcentral, "Phoenix man arrested on suspicion of killing his 21-year-old daughter," 24 June 2019 There’s also mango flavoring, white grape juice, pieces of dehydrated dragonfruit, and a whole lot of sugar. — Maura Judkis, Washington Post, "The new Starbucks dragonfruit drink tastes like — oh, who cares? It’s pink!," 18 June 2019 There’s also mango flavoring, white grape juice, pieces of dehydrated dragonfruit, and a whole lot of sugar. — Maura Judkis, The Know, "The new Starbucks dragonfruit drink tastes like — oh, who cares? It’s pink!," 18 June 2019 The grill dehydrated a bone-in pork chop to a lacquered warclub and left a smoked chicken with loose, greasy skin like an acrid cape. — Mike Sutter, ExpressNews.com, "Zero-star review: Grey Moss Inn falls behind the times northwest of San Antonio," 6 June 2019

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.