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Synonyms

dry out

British  

verb

  1. to make or become dry

  2. to undergo or cause to undergo treatment for alcoholism or drug addiction

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
dry out Idioms  

  1. Undergo a cure for alcoholism, as in After years of constant drinking, he realized that he needed to dry out. [1960s]

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.

If conditions become drier, peat soils may dry out more frequently and for longer periods.

From Science Daily • Feb. 24, 2026

Because the ground is not getting time to dry out between systems, even moderate amounts of rainfall are causing further flooding and disruption.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

Recent studies into fire mechanics have generally found that the intense heat from wildfire can quickly dry out these plants, making them susceptible to ignition from embers, flames and radiant heat.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

And the earlier the snow melts, the more time plants and soils have to dry out in the summer heat, priming the landscape for large wildfires, Schwartz said.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025

If it didn’t dry out and it didn’t wash away, after a while it began to rot.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr

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.