DESICCATING Synonyms: 118 Similar and Opposite Words

desiccating

verb

present participle of desiccate

as in undermining

to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality that historian's dryasdust prose desiccates what is actually an exciting period in European history

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in drying

to make dry add a cup of desiccated coconut to the mix

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 desiccating 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 By desiccating vegetation, the drought has already fueled severe wildfires, with 116,000 hectares burned in Spain and 42,000 hectares burned in France, according to the WWA report. — Sanidhya Sharma, Scientific American, 24 July 2026 Another advantage of long and narrow leaves is their ability to withstand heavy rainfall and battering or desiccating winds. — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 4 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for desiccating

Verb

The same practices that have allowed the Kremlin to relentlessly tighten its political control are also undermining the state’s capacity to govern.

— Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
As to alleged contempt, the siblings could argue that exploration of a sale of the team should not count as evidence of undermining the 2017 court order.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of undermining

Verb

Determined to create a formula that wasn’t cakey, heavy, or drying, Brown infused her formula with hydrating ingredients.

— Jenny Berg, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026
The Audi pair almost had a similar problem when Gabriel Bortoleto spun on a greasy but drying track that also caught out and wrecked Verstappen on the opening lap.

— Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of drying

Verb

Libra September 23 – October 22 The routine that keeps draining you may need a more compassionate rhythm.

— Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
The law paved the way for thousands of victims to sue their abusers but has been criticized for draining the coffers of local governments.

— Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of draining

Verb

Throughout this year, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been weakening the Navy’s leadership by blocking the promotion of nearly 20 admirals.

— Andrea N. Goldstein, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Wheat futures hit their highest level in more than three years as the war in Ukraine strained supplies, further weakening the global food system.

— Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of weakening

Verb

The everyday cost of war Six months of conflict and severe economic hardship have made daily life exhausting for regular Iranians.

— Greg Myre, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
For Cameron, who spent decades exhausting HIV treatment options as his virus developed resistance, among the biggest benefits may be that the two-drug regimen effectively controls his virus while exposing him to fewer medications.

— Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of exhausting

Verb

In addition to air-frying, the Joule also has toasting, baking, broiling, roasting, proofing, reheating, slow cooking, warming and dehydrating functions, as well as settings for bagels, pizza and cookies.

— BestReviews, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of dehydrating

Verb

Each presents a group portrait of a handful of disaffected British suburbanites—husbands who resent their deadening jobs, toddlers who whine and interrupt, and, above all, hassled wives subsumed by a crush of household obligations.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Sam Lambert laid down a safety squeeze, deadening the ball in front of the plate and scoring Balls to trim the lead to 3-1.

— Dave Montrose, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2026

Definition of deadening

Browse Nearby Words

desiccates

desiccating

desiderata

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Desiccating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desiccating. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of desiccating

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

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

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes