distill

verb

di-ˈstil How to pronounce distill (audio)
variants also distil
Definition of distillnext
1
as in to drip
to fall or let fall in or as if in drops the basement walls distill water every time it rains heavily

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to filter
to remove usually visible impurities from distill the water before pouring it in the steam iron

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 distill Writer-director Jacob Chase is uniquely qualified to distill what really scares audiences. — William Earl, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 Almost everything on the menu grows, swims, or gets distilled within a few kilometers of the kitchen. — Monica Mendal, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026 In this case, the whiskey was distilled from January to June of 2015, and aged for a full 11 years in new American oak barrels. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2026 Chinese tech giant ByteDance’s founder reportedly forbade AI researchers from distilling rival models, as scrutiny of the practice causes friction between Washington and Beijing. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distill
  1. drip
  2. filter
  3. pour
  4. clarify
  5. flow
  6. refine
  7. extract
  8. purify
Verb
  • The whole room dripped in a deep purple hue, really leaning into its name.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of drip
Verb
  • The instruments can move with greater flexibility than the human hand, while the system filters out natural hand tremors that could affect delicate movements.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The set list spans her 14-year career, with even the most pop-forward selections filtered through thunderous percussion and earsplitting guitars.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of filter
Verb
  • Over the next several decades, Mexican American families poured in and set down roots.
    — Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Mix yeast, 2 cups flour and salt in large mixing bowl and pour in hot water (not boiling), mixing well.
    — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of pour
Verb
  • Ask a clarifying question, keep your response simple, and save the deeper processing for a space that actually feels safe.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Ask about the fee, set a payment structure, and clarify the boundary kindly.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of clarify
Verb
  • For the traditional Telugu Hindu ceremony, their priest translated Sanskrit to English in real time, and the mandap was designed as a circle to represent how life flows into itself for eternity.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Millions of people across the floodplains of the Indian subcontinent depend on the water that flows downstream.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • After dipping its toes into beauty, Old Navy has refined its strategy and is gearing up for a nationwide rollout.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Working with Tielemans may also see Baleba further refine his long-passing skills, giving another important tool to a United side most dangerous on the counter-attack.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of refine
Verb
  • Early in this year’s war, the United States and Israel considered launching ground operations to extract nuclear material but never initiated them, judging them to be highly risky and unlikely to affect the regime’s decision-making.
    — Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
  • With the clock racing down to find Joe before she's extracted out of the country to her death, the team launches an assault against an airport hangar.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of extract
Verb
  • The technique already plays a major role in biotechnology, where manufacturers use it to purify complex compounds and biologic medicines.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Puerto Rico’s governor had declared a state of emergency in late July because of the persistent dry conditions and activated the National Guard to transport, distribute, and purify water.
    — Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of purify

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distensions
distill
distilled
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Cite this Entry

“Distill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distill. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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