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
Relevance
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
Global warming has desiccated California, which was never known for its copious water supply.
—
Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2025
With vegetation desiccated, any spark—from power lines, machinery, or natural causes like lightning—can ignite a fire.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
From the air, though, much of the river corridor still appears desiccated, treeless and up against commercial orchards, subdivisions and highways.
—Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 30 Sep. 2024
It’s all being conducted against a bleak backdrop of smoking, desiccated trees and charred grass, littered with bodies.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for desiccate
Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2025
With vegetation desiccated, any spark—from power lines, machinery, or natural causes like lightning—can ignite a fire.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
From the air, though, much of the river corridor still appears desiccated, treeless and up against commercial orchards, subdivisions and highways.
—Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 30 Sep. 2024
It’s all being conducted against a bleak backdrop of smoking, desiccated trees and charred grass, littered with bodies.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for desiccate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desiccate
Verb
-
But their deadly design may undermine human health, too.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
5 June 2025
-
But years of storms have undermined the existing Southernmost Plaza where the marker sits.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
As airflow becomes restricted, the appliance must work harder to dry your clothes, resulting in longer drying times, higher energy bills, and unnecessary wear and tear.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 June 2025
-
Lemon: Rub a lemon half on stains and let shoes dry in the sun for natural whitening.—
Maryal Miller Carter,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Bias, inaccuracies and missing values can all weaken model reliability.—
Tor Constantino,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
-
Coercing democratic allies such as Canada or Denmark more broadly weakens trust in U.S. alliances; threatening Panama reawakens fears of imperialism throughout Latin America; crippling the U.S. Agency for International Development undercuts the United States’ reputation for benevolence.—
Robert O. Keohane,
Foreign Affairs,
2 June 2025
Verb
-
Reserve forward Obi Toppin helped swing the game, draining five 3s off the bench.—
Greg Rosenstein,
NBC news,
6 June 2025
-
These unnecessary burdens slow them down, drain their energy, and keep them from reaching their next level.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Control plants showed a consistent spectrum over the course of two weeks, but plants that received immune-response stimulants (such as ethanol) or were wounded or dehydrated showed different patterns of electrical impedance spectra.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 June 2025
-
California Missing camper ‘miraculously’ found alive after surviving weeks in snowy High Sierra May 16, 2025 After she was rescued, medics determined she was dehydrated, but otherwise in good condition, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Nearly every day brings a fresh breach of what were once thought to be the rules, moves that have thrilled his insurgent supporters and petrified his nervous opponents.—
Peter Baker,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
-
He was petrified by the thought of dying of cancer or some other disease whose senselessness disgusted him.—
Ian Buruma,
The New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The visa expired in February 2023, but Soliman has not exhausted legal efforts to remain in the U.S., according to NBC.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
3 June 2025
-
The object could be a white dwarf—an Earth-sized husk that remains after a star has exhausted its nuclear fuel.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
Cool compresses: Applying a clean, cool, and damp washcloth to the rash for five to 10 minutes can bring relief.—
Alisa Hrustic,
SELF,
9 Apr. 2025
-
To prevent damping off, avoid overwatering and never let the trays or containers stand in water for any length of time.—
Betty Cahill,
The Denver Post,
10 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desiccate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desiccate. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share