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.
Meanwhile, their other sources of income dried up. Elaine Pofeldt, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 On and on, until all sources dry up. Literary Hub, 19 June 2026 People live with a shortage of drinking water supplies, irrigation becomes trickier for ranchers, rivers dry up for rafters and fishermen, fish and wildlife struggle, and manufacturers must cope with less water. Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026 Her last album, Survivor, had come out in 2018, months before Floyd’s death, and though she’s been writing and recording songs since the 1970s, her well of inspiration had dried up. Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 18 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dry up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry%20up. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster