dry up

verb

dried up; drying up; dries up
Synonyms of dry upnext

transitive verb

: to cut off the supply of

intransitive verb

1
: to disappear as if by evaporation, draining, or cutting off of a source of supply
2
: to wither or die through gradual loss of vitality
3
: to stop talking

Examples of dry up in a Sentence

sick of her constant complaining, he angrily told her to dry up
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Dimon, who leads the world’s largest bank by market cap, also tied his contrarian Middle East view directly to economics, arguing that the region’s need for foreign direct investment — which had been flowing into Gulf nations for years — will dry up without stability. Hugh Son, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026 After Gregor dies, his body simply dries up and vanishes, swept away by the help. Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 Located in the high desert to the east of California’s Sierra Nevada, the lake dried up in the early 20th century as a result of water diversions by the city of Los Angeles. Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026 Unsurprisingly to anyone familiar with Val’s career trajectory and the current state of the business, work seems to have dried up. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dry up

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of dry up was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dry up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry%20up. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.

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