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 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 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 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 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 Start by wetting down the concrete to prevent the cleaner from drying too quickly. — Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 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 Painting cabinets can take several days or weekends, including 24 to 72 hours for drying. — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 6 July 2026 Some were seen drying their eyes with handkerchiefs in a Reuters live video of the scene. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 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

Some hurricane windows can filter out up to 90% of ultraviolet rays, which protects your furniture, carpet, drapes and artwork from fading.

— Alora Bopray, USA Today, 10 July 2026
The pattern is expected to prolong an unrelated existing marine heat wave off the coast of California, which otherwise would have been expected to start fading between October and December.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 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

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

Unfortunately, hydrangeas are notorious for wilting quickly once cut, and keeping them looking fresh can prove difficult.

— Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 6 July 2026
Underwatering Gardening expert Jen McDonald says that underwatering is the most common reason for petunias wilting.

— Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 27 June 2026

Definition of wilting

Verb

But if the drain line is clogged or the drain pan is not tilted appropriately, then this could prevent the moisture from draining away.

— Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 10 July 2026
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose agency oversees the National Park Service, told conservative podcaster Katie Miller in an interview released earlier this week that the new round of draining was planned.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 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 13 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of drying

verb

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