desiccating

verb

present participle of desiccate
1
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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 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
  1. undermining
  2. drying
  3. draining
  4. weakening
  5. exhausting
  6. dehydrating
  7. enervating
  8. deadening
Verb
  • Opposition parties and human rights organizations have accused Erdogan of undermining democracy and curbing freedom of expression.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • Allies include Brin’s Building a Better California, which is bankrolling two counter-measures aimed at undermining the billionaire tax.
    — Ben Paviour July 2, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of undermining
Verb
  • Ensure the stain is fully gone before drying—once heat sets it in, removal becomes significantly harder.
    — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
  • Keep a handful near your washing machine or drying rack for blouses, dresses, workout wear, or delicate pieces that should skip the dryer.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2026
Definition of drying
Verb
  • The floor sink beneath the 3-comp sink was draining slowly and observed unclean.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 3, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026
  • Their variety of runs and rotations are hard for any side to defend against, with the Spaniards slowly draining your physical and mental energy across the course of 90 minutes (or more).
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of draining
Verb
  • Goldman Sachs predicts a sustained dollar weakening in 2026, driven by fiscal concerns and shifting global asset demand, marking a structural shift rather than a cyclical dip.
    — Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Ukrainian officials describe the strikes as a campaign to pressure Moscow to end the war by undermining its military logistics and supply lines and weakening its ability to mount assaults along the front.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • And more than a decade into the LHC era, neither frontier has come close to exhausting its potential.
    — Florencia Canelli, Scientific American, 1 July 2026
  • That matters because unloading mixed freight can be exhausting work.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of exhausting
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
  • Campbell, the North Carolina folk singer, describes an enervating process marked by back-and-forth exchanges and lots of waiting.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Jenny deflected me with enervating ease.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
Definition of enervating
Verb
  • 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
  • Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of deadening

Browse Nearby Words

desiccates
desiccating
desiderata
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Cite this Entry

“Desiccating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desiccating. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on desiccating

Nglish: Translation of desiccating for Spanish Speakers

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