dry up

verb

dried up; drying up; dries up
Synonyms of dry upnext

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

Examples of dry up in a Sentence

sick of her constant complaining, he angrily told her to dry up
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The state’s annual budget for wildfire mitigation work could drop by hundreds of millions as two key funding sources dry up. Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026 Once people knew what the fuss was about, however, the crowds swiftly dried up, and most reviews were mixed. Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026 The grant used to pay her salary had dried up. Darlene Superville, Fortune, 29 May 2026 Sadly, the original MJB liners in my makeup archive have long dried up, but this new formula definitely lives up to my memory of them. Sophia Panych, Allure, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for dry up

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of dry up was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Dry up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry%20up. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

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