dry up (B1)

phrasal verb

Pronunciation: draɪ ʌp

Definition

To lose all moisture or water content, or to stop flowing or being available.

Examples

• The river will dry up if the drought continues through the summer.

• Supplies of the rare mineral began to dry up as the mines were exhausted.

• The ink in the pen will dry up if you leave the cap off for too long.

How to Use dry up

dry up (phrasal verb)

to lose all water or liquid — "The pond will dry up in the heat."

dry up (phrasal verb)

to stop being available (resources/funding) — "Investment opportunities began to dry up."

dry up (phrasal verb)

to stop speaking (informal) — "The actor dried up in the middle of his monologue."

Synonyms of dry up

Words with a similar meaning to dry up:

• evaporate
• wither
• desiccate
• vanish

Browse the full Anaversity dictionary