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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Verb

Western officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of conducting a campaign of sabotage and disruption in their countries with the aim of undermining support for Ukraine and destabilizing European nations, something Russia denies.

— Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Western officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of running a campaign of sabotage and disruption in their countries with the aim of undermining support for Ukraine and destabilizing European nations, something Russian officials deny.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of undermine

Verb

Toad facilitators now regularly milk the toad’s glands and dry the extract so it can be smoked, generating potent trips that are said to collapse the ego.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
Uniqlo offers Airism, a collection of light, smooth innerwear, T-shirts and casualwear designed to be cool-to-the-touch, moisture-wicking and fast-drying.

— David Moin, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of dry

Verb

Dairy cows are producing less milk and birthing fewer or weakened calves.

— Vivian Song, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
Though Hurricane Marie continues to weaken in the southern Pacific Ocean — and is expected to remain hundreds of miles off the Southern California coastline — the region can still expect to feel some effects from the storm over the next few days.

— Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

As a young man, Francisco traversed it on horseback, eking out a living by draining resin from the towering pines.

— Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Management voluntarily closed the store until a three-compartment sink could be fixed to drain properly.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of drain

Verb

In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Rodríguez Verona said survivors were disoriented and dehydrated, with many collapsing or vomiting upon reaching land.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
The people who genuinely benefit are those vomiting or experiencing diarrhoea badly enough to be dehydrated.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 26 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

Your eyes will thank you College students often fall asleep without removing their contacts, especially when exhausted from late-night studying or over-intoxicated from partying.

— Dr. Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Qualifying members who exhaust their income protection will now be covered up until May 1, 2028, Gee said.

— Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of exhaust

Verb

By early afternoon, the scene shifts across the shaded wooden deck, as guests slip in from the jetty barefoot and still damp from the sea, for long, languid lunches that roll into dusk.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
For extra hold, apply a little volumizing mousse or a lightweight styling product to damp hair.

— Lucy Binder, Glamour, 30 Aug. 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 7 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of desiccate

verb

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