DRYING Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

drying

verb

present participle of dry

as in scorching

to make dry the wind quickly dried their clothes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Some were seen drying their eyes with handkerchiefs in a Reuters live video of the scene. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 July 2026 Made from a quick-drying, breathable nylon fabric, these pants wick away sweat on a stuffy airplane or long hike. — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2026 Start by wetting down the concrete to prevent the cleaner from drying too quickly. — Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026 Pair with a bundle of eucalyptus and let your stress melt away like the water will from this quick-drying mat. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 7 July 2026 To fix this, the researchers turned to spray drying of a slurry containing graphite, conductive additives, and binders. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026 Without a slow-melting blanket of snow to keep the soil and forests moist, alpine vegetation is drying into a tinderbox earlier than normal and ramping up the fire risk. — Jasmine Garland, The Conversation, 7 July 2026 The toxins in the fungi, called amatoxins, cannot be removed by boiling, cooking or drying the mushrooms, and can result in liver failure and death if consumed. — Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026 Painting cabinets can take several days or weekends, including 24 to 72 hours for drying. — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 6 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drying

Verb

Rhode Islanders celebrated America's 250th anniversary at the Bristol Fourth of July parade despite scorching temperatures.

— Nolan Rogalski, The Providence Journal, 5 July 2026
On the corner of West 31st Street and Seventh Avenue, right outside Madison Square Garden, the heat was scorching as the temperature inched to 100 degrees.

— Emily Yahr, Washington Post, 4 July 2026

Definition of scorching

Verb

More than a week after the disaster, search-and-rescue operations remain active, though hopes of finding additional survivors are rapidly fading.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Thousands remain missing more than a week after the twin earthquakes struck Venezuela and hope for finding survivors is fading into and effort to recover remains.

— Greg Dixon, NPR, 2 July 2026

Definition of fading

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

Definition of parching

Verb

The truth was that all of it was, and is, simply withering away.

— Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Among the other Paris attractions to close amid the withering heat are Notre-Dame de Paris, which closed its towers earlier this week, and the Palais de Tokyo, which has shuttered its exhibitions entirely from June 22 through June 27.

— News Desk, Artforum, 24 June 2026

Definition of withering

Verb

Caffeine and alcohol both have dehydrating effects, so drink alcohol in moderation and alternate every drink with water or another non-alcoholic option.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
Caffeine and alcohol both have dehydrating effects, so drink alcohol in moderation and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks throughout the day.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026

Definition of dehydrating

Verb

Underwatering Gardening expert Jen McDonald says that underwatering is the most common reason for petunias wilting.

— Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 27 June 2026
While wearing the glasses, a wearer can ask questions about topics in one's surroundings, like asking for more information about a landmark on vacation, identifying care instructions for a wilting plant or discovering a full recipe for a dish at a favorite restaurant.

— Greta Cross, USA Today, 23 June 2026

Definition of wilting

Verb

The floor sink beneath the 3-comp sink was draining slowly and observed unclean.

— Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 3, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026
Their variety of runs and rotations are hard for any side to defend against, with the Spaniards slowly draining your physical and mental energy across the course of 90 minutes (or more).

— Mark Carey, New York Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of draining

Browse Nearby Words

dry-cleans

drying

drying up

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“Drying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drying. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of drying

verb

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