drying

verb

present participle of dry
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 The Slovenian is not the only relic that has emerged from Europe's drying rivers. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 Natural gas is deeply embedded upstream in textile manufacturing, supplying captive electricity generation as well as the boilers and steam required for processes including dyeing, washing, drying and finishing. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026 To adapt, many producers are now drying their grapes and turning them into raisins — a cheaper product that sells for less. — Abdul Qahar Afghan, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026 Folding drying racks provide plenty of hanging space and collapse for storage. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 16 Aug. 2026 In fact, Durston says Dyneema packs roughly half the weight of other ultralight tent fabrics while delivering more robust strength, fast-drying waterproofing and non-sag integrity. — New Atlas, 16 Aug. 2026 The Best Dryer Setting for Fluffier Towels Experts say drying towels on medium heat is the best way to get fluffy, soft towels. — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026 Choosing a portable washer with a higher spin speed can also shorten drying time by removing more water before clothes reach the rack. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 14 Aug. 2026 That means my greasy microfiber cloths do get washed with my cotton drying towels, along with oven mitts, linen napkins, and the seat pads for my counter stools (my kids somehow manage to trash them every week). — Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drying
  1. scorching
  2. fading
  3. parching
  4. withering
  5. dehydrating
  6. wilting
  7. draining
  8. desiccating
Verb
  • Pyroclastic flows – fast-moving clouds of scorching gas, ash, and rock – could devastate territory near the caldera.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The event unfolded against the backdrop of scorching summer temperatures and wildfires, and Spanish officials rolled out a large public safety campaign.
    — Suman Naishadham, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of scorching
Verb
  • Clip the plant right below the fading flowers and just above where leaves are.
    — Mallory Carra, The Spruce, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The 20th century and its musicians keep fading away — but Rush came back.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of fading
Verb
  • Many of them, like Tubbs, were refugee Midwesterners, sick of parching droughts and devouring plagues of locusts, the insects descending in buzzing clouds thick enough to blacken the noonday sun.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of parching
Verb
  • Featuring tons of interviews from whistleblowers and ex-employees, this is a withering critique of capitalism that needs to be seen.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
  • No bear population, even one as obviously robust as the Southern one, could withstand the withering assaults of very many Colliers and his contemporaries.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of withering
Verb
  • Guidance from Michigan State University recommends pretreating fruit by soaking it in a mixture of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and cold water, and steam blanching vegetables before dehydrating them.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Diatomaceous earth is a natural, chemical-free way to control crawling pests by dehydrating them.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of dehydrating
Verb
  • To my horror, the blooms that were beautifully open two days before my party had actually started wilting and dropping petals by the time the day of the party arrived.
    — Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 23 July 2026
  • Alcaraz missed this year's French Open — and Wimbledon — with a wrist injury, and Sinner was eliminated in the second round in Paris after wilting in the heat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 July 2026
Definition of wilting
Verb
  • To deodorize and tackle slow-draining sinks, sprinkle a bit of baking soda down the drain before pouring a generous amount of apple cider vinegar.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Aug. 2026
  • For best results, focus on giving your ficus well-draining soil and plenty of bright, partial light.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of draining
Verb
  • Suddenly, pest populations are large enough to make a meaningful impact, and one too many afternoons of 100+ degree weather have begun desiccating leaves.
    — Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Improving safety in the field Key innovations for the new tissue include the ability to hold water at room temperature for months on end without desiccating or needing refridgeration.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
Definition of desiccating

Browse Nearby Words

dry-cleans
drying
drying up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drying. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on drying

Nglish: Translation of drying for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of rigmarole

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All