evaporate
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to convert into a gaseous state or vapor; drive off or extract in the form of vapor.
The warm sun evaporated the dew.
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to extract moisture or liquid from, as by heat, so as to make dry or to reduce to a denser state.
to evaporate fruit.
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to cause to disappear or fade; dissipate.
His involvement in the scandal evaporated any hope he had for a political career.
verb
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to change or cause to change from a liquid or solid state to a vapour Compare boil 1
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to lose or cause to lose liquid by vaporization, leaving a more concentrated residue
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to disappear or cause to disappear; fade away or cause to fade away
all her doubts evaporated
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(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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But in the event of a market downturn, much of the revenue from the higher tax will evaporate.
“That said, we think that the rallies are hard to justify, and the current market dynamics could easily underpin rapid price falls were such interest to evaporate.”
From Barron's
USC had led by two scores with less than five minutes remaining, only to see its lead evaporate in that span.
From Los Angeles Times
"States need institutions that help them work together," he said, warning that the very concept of international cooperation appeared to be evaporating.
From Barron's
As they watched their lead evaporate, the Falcons had to be having flashbacks to their catastrophic 25-point collapse to New England in the Super Bowl.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
