evaporate

verb

evap·​o·​rate i-ˈva-p(ə-)ˌrāt 

evaporated; evaporating

transitive verb

1

a

: to convert into vapor

also : to dissipate or draw off in vapor or fumes

b

: to deposit (a substance, such as a metal) in the form of a film by sublimation

2

a

: to expel moisture from

b

: expel

evaporate electrons from a hot wire

intransitive verb

1

a

: to pass off in vapor or in minute particles

b(1)

: to pass off or away : disappear

her ardor evaporated

(2)

: to diminish quickly

2

: to give forth vapor

evaporative

i-ˈva-pə-ˌrā-tiv 

adjective

evaporator

i-ˈva-pə-ˌrā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• disappear
• vanish
• fade
• melt

Examples of evaporate in a Sentence

Let the liquid start to evaporate.

The heat evaporated the water.

The opportunity evaporated before he could act on it.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the feel-good factor evaporated following a chastening 3-0 opening-weekend loss away to promoted Sunderland. —Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025

That subsidy for all public media evaporates starting Wednesday with the new federal fiscal year. —David Folkenflik, NPR, 27 Sep. 2025

What has yet to be determined is whether, just like Hawking radiation means that black holes will eventually evaporate, this form of cosmic radiation will fundamentally cause our Universe’s dark energy to decay away, too. —Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025

Newfound enthusiasm about Jimmy Kimmel’s show is not evaporating after just one monologue. —Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin evaporatus, past participle of evaporare, from e- + vapor steam, vapor

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for evaporate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

evaporate

verb

evap·​o·​rate i-ˈvap-ə-ˌrāt 

evaporated; evaporating

1

: to pass off or cause to pass off into vapor from a liquid state

2

: to pass off or away : disappear

felt the excitement evaporate

3

: to remove some of the water from (as by heating)

evaporator

-ˌrāt-ər 

noun