dry up - Definition & Meaning

dry up

Third Person

dries up

Present Participle

drying up

Past Tense

dried up

Past Participle

dried up

to become empty of water or other liquids, often through evaporation

As the sun beat down, the river began to dry up, revealing more of its rocky bed.
Leaving the wet laundry outside in the sun caused it to dry up quickly.
During the drought, many small ponds and lakes in the region started to dry up.
The spilled water on the kitchen floor would eventually dry up if not wiped away.
The heat caused the soil in the garden to dry up, making it necessary to water the plants more frequently.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

to get smaller and wrinkled due to loss of all one's moisture

If you leave fruit exposed to the sun for too long, it may dry up and shrivel.
The old leather wallet was left in the sun for too long, causing it to dry up.
Without proper care, the once-lush grapes on the vine will eventually dry up and wither.

Synonyms:

to suddenly stop speaking, often due to forgetting or not knowing what to say next

During the presentation, the speaker suddenly dried up and struggled to recall the key points.
The actor on stage had a moment where he completely dried up, leaving an awkward silence in the theater.
In the middle of her speech, she dried up and had to pause to collect her thoughts.
The comedian often jokes about the fear of drying up on stage and blanking out during a performance.
As the interviewee faced tough questions, he dried up and found it challenging to articulate his responses.

to not exist anymore, such as resources, opportunities, etc.

During the economic downturn, job opportunities started to dry up, leaving many unemployed.
With the increased demand, the store's inventory of popular products quickly began to dry up.
As the project neared completion, funding started to dry up, causing delays in the final stages.
The company faced financial difficulties when investor interest began to dry up, impacting its growth plans.

to make something lose its moisture

transitive

The heat from the sun can quickly dry up wet clothes hung outside.
Using a hairdryer, she was able to dry up the spilled water on the bathroom floor.
The kitchen towels were used to dry up the dishes after they were washed.
The gardener used a rake to dry up the muddy soil in the flowerbeds.

to use a towel to dry dishes after one is done washing them

transitive

After washing the dinner plates, she would dry up each one with a clean kitchen towel.
In the restaurant kitchen, the staff members take turns washing and drying up the dishes.
It's a good practice to let dishes air dry, but if you're in a hurry, you can always dry them up with a cloth.
The children were assigned the task of washing and drying up the dishes after family dinners.
He preferred to dry up the glasses and cutlery immediately after washing to avoid water spots.