evaporate

American  

[ih-vap-uh-reyt] / ɪˈvæp əˌreɪt /

verb (used without object)

evaporated, evaporating

1. to change from a liquid or solid state into vapor; pass off in vapor.

   Synonyms:

   vaporize

2. to give off moisture.

3. to disappear; vanish; fade.

   His hopes evaporated.

   Synonyms:

   evanesce

---

verb (used with object)

evaporated, evaporating

1. to convert into a gaseous state or vapor; drive off or extract in the form of vapor.

   The warm sun evaporated the dew.

2. to extract moisture or liquid from, as by heat, so as to make dry or to reduce to a denser state.

   to evaporate fruit.

3. to cause to disappear or fade; dissipate.

   His involvement in the scandal evaporated any hope he had for a political career.

evaporate British  

/ ɪˈvæpəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to change or cause to change from a liquid or solid state to a vapour Compare boil 1

2. to lose or cause to lose liquid by vaporization, leaving a more concentrated residue

3. to disappear or cause to disappear; fade away or cause to fade away

   all her doubts evaporated

4. (tr) to deposit (a film, metal, etc) by vaporization of a liquid or solid and the subsequent condensation of its vapour

---

Usage

What does evaporate mean? Evaporate means to change from a liquid or solid state into vapor (like fog, mist, or steam). It can be used in a passive way, as in The water evaporated overnight, or an active way, as in The sun evaporates the water on the surface. The process of evaporating is called evaporation. Both terms are typically used in the context of water turning into water vapor. Water evaporates when it changes into steam through boiling, but in scientific terms, evaporation typically refers to the change of a liquid into a vapor at a temperature below the boiling point, such as when water evaporates from the surface of the ocean. In this way, evaporation is an important part of the water cycle. Evaporate can also be used in a figurative way meaning to disappear, as in The family’s wealth has evaporated, and now they have nothing. Example: The dew on the grass evaporates more quickly in the sunny parts of the yard.

Related Words

Evaporate, dehydrate, dry mean to abstract moisture from. To evaporate is to remove moisture by means of heat, forced ventilation, or the like, and thus to produce condensation or shriveling: to evaporate milk, sliced apples. To dehydrate is to remove moisture from a vegetable, fruit, or body tissue: to dehydrate fruit; dehydrated from running. To dry may mean to wipe moisture off the surface or to withdraw moisture by natural means, such as exposure to air or heat: to dry a dish, clothes.

Other Word Forms

• evaporability noun
• evaporable adjective
• evaporation noun
• evaporative adjective
• evaporator noun
• half-evaporated adjective
• half-evaporating adjective
• nonevaporating adjective
• preevaporate verb
• unevaporated adjective

Etymology

Origin of evaporate

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English evaporaten, from Latin ēvapōrātus (past participle of ēvapōrāre “to disperse in vapor”); e- ¹, vapor, -ate ¹

Explanation

To evaporate is to fade away or to literally turn into vapor. If you leave a glass of water out and the water slowly disappears, it's not being consumed by elves; it's evaporating. People often use the word evaporate metaphorically because it produces a strong image of something disappearing like vapor. When the economy goes through a rough patch, funding for projects like education and the arts tends to evaporate or disappear. Your feelings for a mate might evaporate after you spend too much time with him or her.

Example Sentences

It will evaporate as soon as the closing of the first season.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

That would make oil prices plunge because a massive premium from geopolitical risks would evaporate, he said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Such is the level of disgust and exhaustion, the public's fear of reprisals for speaking out is beginning to evaporate.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

During a third round at Augusta National that saw Rory McIlroy’s lead evaporate, Shane Lowry cemented his place as golf’s resident hole-in-one specialist with a historic ace.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

Then, when the morning sun’s heat caused the dew to evaporate, he would float up with it—to the moon.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

Related Words

• disappear
• disperse
• dissipate
• fade
• melt
• vanish
• vaporize
• weaken