1
as in scorching
to make dry
the wind quickly dried their clothes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fading
to lose liveliness, force, or freshness
his creative talents were just drying on the vine in that small, provincial town
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 drying
This interactive project looks at the impact of warmer, shorter winters on regions all over the country, from less ice fishing in Minnesota and fewer ski days in Colorado to drying reservoirs in the Southwest and more ticks and mosquitoes in the Northeast.
—
Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Finding the right waterproof sandal is key, where quick-drying materials, durability, and customized comfort reign supreme.
—Lara Kramer, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
In the dryer, avoid over-drying or leaving sheets sitting too long, as this can cause stiffness and wrinkles.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 27 Apr. 2026
Instead of cleaning and drying with the same cloth, use two separate microfiber cloths — one slightly damp to clean and one dry to buff.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
After this storm departs on Sunday, the Bay Area will see a drying pattern through the end of April, Canepa said.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2026
The handwash sink by the three-compartment sink had a higher dead roach count (one) than hand-drying paper towel count (zero).
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The multitude of water managers tasked with overseeing the drying Colorado River system stand at a dire crossroads.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
An employee was observed improperly washing their hands by dunking their hands in soapy dish washing water and then drying them off.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Finding the right waterproof sandal is key, where quick-drying materials, durability, and customized comfort reign supreme.
—Lara Kramer, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
In the dryer, avoid over-drying or leaving sheets sitting too long, as this can cause stiffness and wrinkles.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 27 Apr. 2026
Instead of cleaning and drying with the same cloth, use two separate microfiber cloths — one slightly damp to clean and one dry to buff.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
After this storm departs on Sunday, the Bay Area will see a drying pattern through the end of April, Canepa said.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2026
The handwash sink by the three-compartment sink had a higher dead roach count (one) than hand-drying paper towel count (zero).
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The multitude of water managers tasked with overseeing the drying Colorado River system stand at a dire crossroads.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
An employee was observed improperly washing their hands by dunking their hands in soapy dish washing water and then drying them off.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drying
Verb
-
The Blazers could not hold on after building a 65-59 halftime lead, an edge built by shooting a scorching 10-of-21 from 3-point range.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Wildfires are currently scorching acres of land in South Georgia and Northern Florida.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, commercial-only business districts are fading.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Dust and pollen are quicker to reveal themselves, and wear becomes apparent faster as dark colors are more prone to fading.—
Marisa Suzanne Martin,
The Spruce,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Runway is going virulently viral for all the wrong reasons, and its editor, the legendary Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), is, for once, at a loss for a withering mot juste when her advertisers demand an explanation.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
-
An increasing number of women also have been forced to grow out their roots given a lack of gasoline and public transportation, coupled with withering budgets, Ramírez said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Alegria also sees wild rice production growing using the traditional Indigenous methods of drying, parching, dancing and winnowing at rice camps in northern Wisconsin.—
Frank Vaisvilas,
jsonline.com,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Wind is a familiar thing, a thing whose very existence brings a kind of reassurance—yearned-for when absent, delighting when gentle, accursed when either biting cold or parching hot, feared when violent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Plant violas in dappled light or afternoon shade to keep them from wilting.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The relationship between Washington and London has been wilting for years, Bergmann said, starting with the end of the Cold War and the United States putting less emphasis on Russia and Europe.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When mixed with a sweet ingredient like jelly or even peanut butter, ants consume the boric acid, and the solution slowly kills them by disrupting their digestive and nervous systems, eventually dehydrating the ants.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
25 Apr. 2026
-
No synthetic dyes, chemical fizz or dehydrating salts, just pure skin loving comfort.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shane Lowry has the distinction of draining one of the more memorable putts in recent golf history.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Grow crocosmia in moist, organically rich, well-draining soil in full sun to light shade.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wherever creator Lee Sung Jin took the concept next, a bitter rivalry would presumably be its driving force, just as Wong and Yeun’s searing anti-platonic chemistry powered Season 1 through some tonal bumps and big swings.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Gas provides instant heat, precise control and higher temperatures for searing and charring.—
Marni Jameson,
Arkansas Online,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drying. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
