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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
  • Turning this whole thing into a joke also undermines the danger of the Trawler — just how seriously are we supposed to take this threat?
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Dynastic rivalries, regional rebellions, economic disruption, and the demographic effects of the Black Death all undermined imperial authority.
    — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of undermine
Verb
  • That means my greasy microfiber cloths do get washed with my cotton drying towels, along with oven mitts, linen napkins, and the seat pads for my counter stools (my kids somehow manage to trash them every week).
    — Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Once your produce is fully dried, store it in an airtight container so moisture cannot creep back in.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 10 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
  • Sometimes that’s true if the person is severely dehydrated, but heat strokes can also cause excessive sweating.
    — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Probiotics are generally recommended for sensitive, dry, dehydrated and mature skin, and can also work as a preventative ingredient for normal skin.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 11 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
  • 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

Browse Nearby Words

desexing
desiccate
desiccated
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Cite this Entry

“Desiccate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desiccate. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of desiccate for Spanish Speakers

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