desiccate

verb

ˈde-si-ˌkāt How to pronounce desiccate (audio)
Definition of desiccatenext
1
as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality that historian's dryasdust prose desiccates what is actually an exciting period in European history

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dry
to make dry add a cup of desiccated coconut to the mix

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of desiccate Olive trees, desiccated from the Xylella fastidiosa bacterial epidemic, are consumed by fire and slump to the ground in a burnished black heap. — Angelica Calabrese, Longreads, 7 July 2026 Another advantage of long and narrow leaves is their ability to withstand heavy rainfall and battering or desiccating winds. — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 4 June 2026 Her flesh is desiccated and gray, her hands and feet are jagged claws, and her breath comes out in rasps. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026 Klosterman wondered if the recent heatwave would desiccate them. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for desiccate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desiccate
  1. undermine
  2. dry
  3. weaken
  4. drain
  5. dehydrate
  6. petrify
  7. exhaust
  8. damp
Verb
  • According to Axios, the US military has helped ferry crude through the Strait of Hormuz, driving overall levels of exports through the key waterway to about half of prewar levels and undermining Iranian efforts to control the crossing.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Constant record-setting ticket sales and TV viewership were undermined by growing resentment among everyone from athletes to fans over the players’ salaries; Clark’s rookie pay was just $76,000.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of undermine
Verb
  • The Slovenian is not the only relic that has emerged from Europe's drying rivers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Natural gas is deeply embedded upstream in textile manufacturing, supplying captive electricity generation as well as the boilers and steam required for processes including dyeing, washing, drying and finishing.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of dry
Verb
  • That makes the world a more dangerous place, where a mistake by just one actor could ignite a regional firestorm, with a US military weakened by Iran unable to ensure American security.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Hurricane Lala weakened to a tropical storm Sunday after skirting Hawaii without making landfall, but it wasn’t done punishing the Big Island with hurricane-force gusts.
    — Alexa St. John, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of weaken
Verb
  • Avoid the temptation to drain your savings to make a larger down payment.
    — Deane Biermeier, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Defensiveness extends conversations, weakens credibility and drains emotional energy that could have been directed toward solving problems.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of drain
Verb
  • Researchers actually estimate that women lose five percent of their body water content post-menopause, so you get dehydrated easier and faster.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Red Bull looks and smells like the urine of someone who's dangerously dehydrated.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dehydrate
Verb
  • Here, a source of primordial terror—the gaze that petrifies—is deflected by way of the highly polished shield that Perseus wields against the creature.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The first film follows a group of French high-school students who travel to Naples on a school trip to discover the ruins of Pompeii and the bodies petrified by Vesuvius.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 May 2026
Definition of petrify
Verb
  • Travelers are exhausted by the friction of commercial travel.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The performances were much needed for a team trying to avoid exhausting its pitching staff by October.
    — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhaust
Verb
  • For the best results, Bataille recommends applying it to damp hair, concentrating at the roots, then blow-drying the hair up and away from the scalp to maximize volume.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The swingarm geometry has been revised, and there is a new linkage system that has improved damping.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of damp

Browse Nearby Words

desexing
desiccate
desiccated
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“Desiccate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desiccate. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of desiccate for Spanish Speakers

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