drying
Americanadjective
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causing dryness.
a drying breeze.
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designed to become or capable of becoming dry and hard on exposure to air.
noun
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the action or process of making or becoming dry
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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.
Around 2021, China’s real-estate boom turned to bust, drying up domestic demand for furniture.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026
“Because that is what we want. But we don’t invest in staff because we have a shortage. ... We can’t have joy and wellness if your people are drying on the vine because they’re exhausted.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026
The drying ground was ultimately against him there, and that's the rub.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
Today, those resorts are long gone, replaced by a drying and increasingly toxic landscape.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Crisp blue-and-white-striped sheets were drying on the clothesline, snapping in the wind.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
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.
