dehydrate
verb
de·hy·drate (ˌ)dē-ˈhī-ˌdrāt 
dehydrated; dehydrating; dehydrates
transitive verb
1
a
: to remove bound water or hydrogen and oxygen from (a chemical compound) in the proportion in which they form water
b
: to remove water from (something, such as a food)
2
: to deprive of vitality or savor
intransitive verb
: to lose water or body fluids
dehydrator
(ˌ)dē-ˈhī-ˌdrā-tər
noun 
Did you know?
Dehydrating food is a good way to preserve it; raisins, which are dehydrated grapes, are a good example. Dehydration through industrial processes makes it possible to keep food even longer and store it in a smaller space. Freeze-drying produces food that only needs rehydration—that is, the addition of water—to restore its original consistency. Runners, cyclists, and hikers fearful of dehydration seem to be constantly hydrating themselves nowadays, sometimes even using a shoulder pack with a tube going straight into the mouth. Dehydrate can also be used for making something "dry" or "lifeless;" thus, a dull teacher can dehydrate American history, and an unimaginative staging can dehydrate a great Shakespeare play.
Synonyms
- castrate
- damp
- dampen
- deaden
- desiccate
- devitalize
- enervate
- geld
- lobotomize
- petrify
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Salt dehydrates the meat and keeps it from spoiling. Athletes drink lots of water so they don't dehydrate. Exercising in this heat will dehydrate you.
Recent Examples on the Web To dehydrate garlic in an oven, dry at 140°F for 2 hours, then reduce the heat to 130°F and continue drying for 4-6 hours or until the garlic is crisp. 
Kate Merker, Good Housekeeping, 3 June 2022 The Breville Smart Oven Air is equipped to air fry and dehydrate on four different racks at once (additional racks sold separately). Nicole Papantoniou, Good Housekeeping, 11 July 2022 And avoid drinks that dehydrate the body, including those with sugar or alcohol. Alexa Mikhail, Fortune, 19 July 2022 The GoWiese Air Fryer offers 8 cooking functions that will air fry, roast, broil, bake, grill, dehydrate, reheat and keep warm all with a touch of a button. Joe Morales, Good Housekeeping, 5 July 2022 In the Lab, expertse use state-of-the-art tools like the Corneometer device, which measures skin hydration levels, to gauge a product's ability to moisturize (or dehydrate) skin. Dori Price, Good Housekeeping, 20 June 2022 The Red Door’s bartenders grow their own herbs on the roof deck and dehydrate citrus peels from the kitchen’s scraps to use in their sustainable cocktails. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 11 June 2022 Try and avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate the body. Judson Jones, CNN, 8 June 2022 Two and half years later, Heather witnessed her mother starve and dehydrate herself to death; Anna could not bear to live with ALS any longer. Katie C Reilly, ELLE, 3 June 2022 See More
Kate Merker, Good Housekeeping, 3 June 2022 The Breville Smart Oven Air is equipped to air fry and dehydrate on four different racks at once (additional racks sold separately). Nicole Papantoniou, Good Housekeeping, 11 July 2022 And avoid drinks that dehydrate the body, including those with sugar or alcohol. Alexa Mikhail, Fortune, 19 July 2022 The GoWiese Air Fryer offers 8 cooking functions that will air fry, roast, broil, bake, grill, dehydrate, reheat and keep warm all with a touch of a button. Joe Morales, Good Housekeeping, 5 July 2022 In the Lab, expertse use state-of-the-art tools like the Corneometer device, which measures skin hydration levels, to gauge a product's ability to moisturize (or dehydrate) skin. Dori Price, Good Housekeeping, 20 June 2022 The Red Door’s bartenders grow their own herbs on the roof deck and dehydrate citrus peels from the kitchen’s scraps to use in their sustainable cocktails. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 11 June 2022 Try and avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate the body. Judson Jones, CNN, 8 June 2022 Two and half years later, Heather witnessed her mother starve and dehydrate herself to death; Anna could not bear to live with ALS any longer. Katie C Reilly, ELLE, 3 June 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1876, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Kids Definition
dehydrate
verb
de·hy·drate dē-ˈhī-ˌdrāt
dehydrated; dehydrating
1
: to take water from (as foods)
dehydrate fruit
2
: to lose water or body fluids Athletes should avoid dehydrating.
Medical Definition
dehydrate
verb
de·hy·drate (ˈ)dē-ˈhī-ˌdrāt
dehydrated; dehydrating
transitive verb
1
: to remove bound water or hydrogen and oxygen from (a chemical compound) in the proportion in which they form water
2
: to remove water from (as foods)
intransitive verb
: to lose water or body fluids
dehydrates
verb
1
as in undermines
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality years of being trapped in a loveless marriage had dehydrated his spirit Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- undermines
- weakens
- desiccates
- petrifies
- drains
- exhausts
- castrates
- enervates
- deadens
- wears
- damps
- dampens
- discourages
- gelds
- debilitates
- saps
- devitalizes
- lobotomizes
- enfeebles
- fatigues
- burns out
- wears out
- disheartens
- daunts
- dispirits
- demoralizes
- tuckers (out)
- does in
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stimulates
- energizes
- invigorates
- quickens
- vitalizes
- vivifies
- stirs
- arouses
- rouses
- ferments
- provokes
- excites
- inflames
- triggers
- braces
- enlivens
- electrifies
- incites
- galvanizes
- charges
- inspires
- lifts
- fortifies
- fires
- foments
- instigates
- regenerates
- boosts
- sparks
- rejuvenates
- kindles
- whips (up)
- emboldens
- revives
- abets
- refreshes
- cheers
- reactivates
- revitalizes
- resurrects
- heartens
- recharges
- renews
- resuscitates
- enflames
- buoys
- reanimates
- reawakens
- rekindles
- reenergizes
- reawakes
2
as in dries
to make dry bought a dehumidifier in order to dehydrate the damp basement Synonyms & Similar Words
- dries
- desiccates
- scorches
- bakes
- parches
- evaporates
- drains
- sears
- dehumidifies
- shrivels
- mummifies
- withers
- air-dries
- wizens
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- hydrates
- waters
- wets
- washes
- saturates
- soaks
- drowns
- moistens
- bathes
- floods
- drenches
- inundates
- overflows
- dampens
- douses
- damps
- deluges
- sops
- rehydrates
- humidifies
- waterlogs
- submerges
- dips
- souses
- dowses
- swamps
- dunks