desiccated

adjective

des·​ic·​cat·​ed ˈde-si-ˌkā-təd How to pronounce desiccated (audio)
1
: dried up
a desiccated landscape
: preserved by drying
a cup of desiccated coconut
… all around were barrels of dried apples and apricots, shriveled and desiccatedMargaret Laurence
… when visitors come to the lab he likes to show them his collection of curiosities, which includes a desiccated octopus.Elizabeth Kolbert
2
: drained of emotional or intellectual vigor or vitality
Singer's utilitarianism is so dry and desiccated that it drains the drama from philosophy.George F. Will

Examples of desiccated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Oporto has also made some gluten-free Lamington cakes, a traditional Australian baked good that consists of squares of cake that are coated in chocolate and rolled in desiccated coconut. Jenny Haward, Peoplemag, 25 Feb. 2024 Sent on a space walk to assess damage, Jo dislodges what appears to be the desiccated body of a woman in the suit of Russian cosmonaut, circa late 1960s, which shoots from her grasp. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 The recipe is straightforward: stuff a desiccated toad into a potato-sized rock and add a story. Daniel T. Ksepka, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023 These dark clouds and thunderclaps — even interspersed with the occasional roar of an Israeli fighter jet — would usually be a celebratory moment for this family of farmers, an essential lifesource for their olive groves in this otherwise desiccated uplands. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 3 Nov. 2023 Green live oaks dotted the otherwise desiccated landscape while the Pacific Ocean glittered below. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2023 Globally, research has linked dust pollution from desiccated lakes like the Aral Sea to sickness from allergies, fungal infections, asthma, diarrhea and cancer. Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Sep. 2023 Putin seeks further support for his war in Ukraine as military resources are stretched thin, while Kim's regime is pushing for assistance with its space program and its desiccated economy. Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 13 Sep. 2023 Perhaps this desiccated life was a kind of miracle. Oliver Munday, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'desiccated.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of desiccated was in 1670

Dictionary Entries Near desiccated

Cite this Entry

“Desiccated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desiccated. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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