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 Some with alcohol or actives can feel drying, and Buechner suggested pairing them with a leave-in conditioner. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 Its lightweight, fast-drying formula is infused with a nourishing lineup—squalane and macadamia and jojoba oils, to name a few—that leaves skin hydrated and streak-free from start to finish. — Madison San Miguel, Allure, 7 Oct. 2026 Alcohol also acts as a drying agent, which can cause or worsen xerostomia, better known as dry mouth. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026 The ribbed knit is absorbent and quick-drying with a combed cotton material that’s ultra-soft to the touch. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2026 Cutting boards and drying racks vary by brand, so check what comes in the box and what fits later. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026 Product marketing plays up the same idea, pitching double-bowl designs such as the 33-inch Ruvati workstation for multitaskers who want one spot for washing veggies and drying dishes. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026 Removing the thermal drying stage could also make electrode manufacturing less capital- and energy-intensive. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026 Moving clothes promptly to the drying rack gives them a better chance of drying fresh. — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 26 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drying

Verb

Check between presses to avoid overheating or scorching the fabric.

— Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026
When Cody Turcotte arrived to fight a wildfire scorching homes in Spokane, Washington, last month, there weren't enough people at the scene to control it.

— Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of scorching

Verb

Fixed on a mobile rig that will at times careen and whoosh across the stage when not otherwise holding on Winter, Anderson’s camera catches the expressionism and chiaroscuro of stage lights illuminating and fading off the singer’s face.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026
But hopes of winning the two states have been fading, and the GOP is increasingly focused on playing defense elsewhere with five weeks until the midterm elections.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 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

BepiColombo’s laser instrument should confirm how much Mercury is withering as a result of internal cooling, said Gaku Nishiyama, the study’s lead author, who is taking part in the space mission.

— Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2026
BepiColombo's laser instrument should confirm how much Mercury is withering as a result of internal cooling, said Gaku Nishiyama, the study's lead author who is taking part in the space mission.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of withering

Verb

Antihistamines have a general dehydrating effect that also reduces tear production.

— Nancy LeBrun, Verywell Health, 24 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of dehydrating

Verb

Against a backdrop of wilting flowers that left a subtle funk in the air, designer Glenn Martens once again put forth ideas that challenged conventions of beautiful clothing.

— Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
In the fall different flowers, the last of the season, will be finally wilting.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of wilting

Verb

This severe segmentation can be emotionally draining and erodes commitment to the organization.

— Catherine Bell, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Teams devised an unprecedented bit of spaceship surgery to replace the valve without draining the propellant and disassembling the spacecraft, steps that would have triggered a much longer delay.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of draining

Verb

In the Rocky Mountains, years of extreme heat and drought have baked the landscape, drying up streams that feed the Colorado River and desiccating pastures where cattle graze.

— Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of desiccating

Browse Nearby Words

dry-cleans

drying

drying up

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Style

“Drying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drying. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of drying

verb

Example Sentences

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