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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
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Your bombastic attacks on the free press are, at best, unflattering — and at worst, undermine a core tenet of democracy.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 June 2025
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Trump is undermining our economy with reckless tariffs, harsh cuts, and ICE agents terrorizing our communities.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
Verb
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From there, use a clean, soft toothbrush to remove any lingering stains and wipe off with a clean cotton cloth to dry and remove any excess oil.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
24 June 2025
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Per Archaeology News, conservators soaked it in a desalination bath for ten weeks before cleaning, drying and stabilizing it.—
Sonja Anderson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 June 2025
Verb
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But in an unexpected ruling in 2023, the Supreme Court declined an invitation to weaken Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.—
June 27,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
-
Abandoning recognition can erode motivation, diminish engagement and make employees feel invisible, weakening the cultural fabric and undermining long-term resilience.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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The Army Corps’ solution was to take a meandering 103-mile river that snaked through one of the wildest areas in the state, drain it, and carve it into a ruler-straight, 56-mile 30-foot-deep canal dubbed the C-38 — not exactly fodder for the tourism board.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2025
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In such situations, when a client has the resources and the inclination to go round after round, small municipalities have to decide whether to settle or stand on principle, draining their budget.—
Andrew Rice,
Curbed,
26 June 2025
Verb
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If your skin is really feeling the dehydrating effects of sun exposure or simply the daily grind, make like Dua and pop on a Sarah Chapman Skinesis 3D Moisture Infusion Mask before your night cream.—
Georgia Day,
Vogue,
12 June 2025
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The cabin environment can be surprisingly dehydrating, and cabin humidity usually hovers around 20 percent.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
1 June 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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Unlike many other raptors that rely on sudden ambush attacks, the gyrfalcon excels at long chases across tundra and icy terrain, often locking onto prey and keeping pursuit until the target is exhausted.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.—
Emily Trainham,
FOXNews.com,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Expect flavors like: Red cherries Raspberries Strawberries Sometimes a little earthiness (think mushrooms or damp forest floors in a romantic way, not a scary one) Good Pinot is all about elegance, balance, and subtlety.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
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The weather didn’t cooperate either, as passing showers occasionally damped the field and sent fans racing for cover, but the Red Sox were able to hang tough and battle back into the game.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
5 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desiccate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desiccate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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