dry out

verb

dried out; drying out; dries out

intransitive verb

: to undergo an extended period of withdrawal from alcohol or drug use especially at a special clinic

Examples of dry out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, dry air will persist and dry out any effects of the recent rains. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Conditions begin drying out Tuesday, kicking off several days of sunshine and warmer temperatures. — Ashley Nanfria, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026

Use a gentle scalp cleanser, moisturizer and oil to keep your sensitive hair follicles healthy, avoiding products with sulfates that can dry out the skin. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 9 Oct. 2026

The intact leaf blanket also conserves moisture and prevents soil from drying out over the winter. — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dry out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Medical Definition

dry-out

1 of 2 adjective

ˈdrī-ˌau̇t 

: providing detoxification treatment

checked into a dry-out clinic

dry out

2 of 2 transitive verb

(ˈ)drī-ˈau̇t 

: to subject to withdrawal from the use of alcohol or drugs : detoxify sense 2

intransitive verb

: to undergo an extended period of withdrawal from alcohol or drug use especially at a special clinic : detoxify