- present participle of dry.
drying
Americanadjective
-
causing dryness.
a drying breeze.
-
designed to become or capable of becoming dry and hard on exposure to air.
noun
-
the action or process of making or becoming dry
-
Also called (not now in technical usage): seasoning. the processing of timber until it has a moisture content suitable for the purposes for which it is to be used
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of drying
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at dry, -ing 2
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.
Manufacturers say that increasing production takes time and is costly, as producing high-protein whey requires specialist processing and drying equipment.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
Before engineers could switch on the WFI, the instrument spent 10 days drying out and undergoing decontamination.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
It contained its own complete production line, including a drying turbine -- but wasn't as big as another recently dismantled facility that employed some 50 people.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
In the Rocky Mountains, years of extreme heat and drought have baked the landscape, drying up streams that feed the Colorado River and desiccating pastures where cattle graze.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
“Another time, a man in town came out of the shower and was drying off when he looked up and saw a polar bear peeking through the window,” he said, and everyone laughed again.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
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.
