drying

verb

present participle of dry
1
as in scorching
to make dry the wind quickly dried their clothes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 chocolate brown tea towel will instantly transform your drying rack or oven into a cozy fall corner, ready for whipping up your favorite autumn recipes. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 July 2026 These conditions trap moisture against the wood and slow drying after rain. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 26 July 2026 While that’s drying, reapply the powder in the same areas of your face. — Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 26 July 2026 Parsons used acrylic, a relatively new, quick-drying medium that few artists of her generation had yet taken up. — John Yau, ARTnews.com, 24 July 2026 Using lightweight technical yarns and relaxed silhouettes, the pieces are intended to be quick-drying and adaptable enough to work from everyday errands to formal events, in line with Silberstein’s overall ethos. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 20 July 2026 While hand-washing isn’t necessary, drying does require some care. — Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 20 July 2026 Scientists at Pennsylvania State University have developed a novel conductive ink that can be painted directly onto the skin in colorful custom designs, turning into a functional electrode for biomonitoring after drying. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 14 July 2026 Spray with hydrogen peroxide and wait 10 minutes before rinsing and drying. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drying
  1. scorching
  2. fading
  3. parching
  4. withering
  5. dehydrating
  6. wilting
  7. draining
  8. desiccating
Verb
  • The scorching Afrofuturist dystopian nightmare that told of decades of oppression to come (and of centuries past mired in it), was lost to time.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
  • Cook gently over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching the bottom of the pot.
    — Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2026
Definition of scorching
Verb
  • The successor to the Tour de France Féminin, the Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale, operated for years in a state of underfunding before fading from the calendar entirely.
    — Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Yet the company does have contend with fading interest from its existing consumer base; most users tend to use the product less after two weeks, except for momentary bumps from competitions.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 30 July 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
  • Atlanta City Council is directing city departments to beef up efforts to protect residents from the growing threat of extreme heat after the city recently faced withering critiques from homeless services groups for its response to a recent heatwave.
    — Drew Kann, AJC.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Her essay is the quintessential death by a thousand withering cuts that is a noxious hallmark of academia.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of withering
Verb
  • Although caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, moderate amounts of caffeine generally isn’t dehydrating for most healthy adults.
    — Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 21 July 2026
  • Coffee’s Effect on Hydration Coffee has a reputation for being dehydrating, but that is largely overstated for most coffee drinkers.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 20 July 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
  • Make sure vents are unobstructed, check that the condensate drain is draining properly, and keep the area around the indoor unit clean and dry.
    — Bianca Lambert, Southern Living, 31 July 2026
  • After the nation’s July 4 celebration, workers began draining and repairing the pool to address the underlying problems.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 31 July 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 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on drying

Nglish: Translation of drying for Spanish Speakers

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