DESICCATION Synonyms: 116 Similar and Opposite Words

desiccate

verb

ˈde-si-ˌkāt

Definition of desiccate

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

as in to dry

to make dry add a cup of desiccated coconut to the mix

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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

Verb

Eight maritime groups signed a joint open letter to the UN and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Monday, warning that introducing tolls could drive up costs for consumers and undermine the principles of free navigation.

— Todd Symons, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
Burnout research explains why organizational systems often undermine that recovery.

— Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of undermine

Verb

Initially, the adhesive adhering to the tiles would dry so quickly that workers would spit on it to slow the process down, a practice NASA identified and discontinued.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
Despite its size, the product still delivers the same powerful drying technology people have come to expect from Dyson.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of dry

Verb

However, consuming large amounts—such as those used in studies where up to 1/2 cup was consumed daily—can start to weaken and damage tooth enamel.

— MD Published, Verywell Health, 10 Aug. 2026
Apple’s market dominance is built around September; moving away from tradition would upset the ecosystem supporting the launch and risk weakening the iPhone’s dominant position.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

Your table is ready, the waiter said, and Rebecca drained her glass and stood.

— Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
Most of the region’s sewers were engineered generations ago to drain well under 2 inches of rain per hour, and a cloudburst can deliver double that amount.

— Ravi S. Bhalla, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of drain

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

The ruling involves 16 men's basketball players who sued the NCAA in Cobb County Superior Court in July after exhausting four seasons of college eligibility.

— Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Cinema has lately exhausted the emotional mileage of the Ukraine–EU border, but one wittily choreographed setpiece involving the couple’s border crossing finds in transition an ingenious point of convergence between gender and geography.

— Sonya Vseliubska, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of exhaust

Verb

This may predispose plants to problems like root rot and damping off disease.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2026
The system operates by altering the magnetic field to adjust fluid viscosity inside the dampers, continuously modifying compression and rebound damping.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 July 2026

Definition of damp

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desexing

desiccate

desiccated

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“Desiccate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desiccate. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of desiccate

verb

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