Synonyms for Dry
There are a few different definitions for dry and each of these definitions has synonyms that we will explore.
Dry can mean something lacks water, liquid, or moisture.
- It hasn’t rained in weeks, the ground is completely dry.
- Her clothes were no longer dry after the rain.
The past tense of dry is dried.
- I dried my clothes last night, so that I could wear them today.
Dry can also cause someone to be thirsty
- I’m feeling really dry from being out in the sun all day.
Here are some words that you can substitute for this form of dry.
Parched
can mean that something is dried out because of heat.
- The earth in the desert is parched.
Parched can also mean very thirsty. This is usually due to lack of water.
- I haven’t had water since this morning and I’m parched.
Parched also refers to something being lightly roasted.
- Yesterday I tried parched corn for the first time, which is made by dry roasting corn.
Wither
or the past tense withered, can also be substituted for dry at times. It means to shrivel, fade or decay. Often used in reference to plants lacking water and dying because of it.
- It had been a hot week and the plants were dead and withered.
A noun can also wither.
- After years of declining revenue the business finally withered.
- Even after therapy our marriage withered.
Shriveled
is another synonym for dry. It means to wrinkle due to lack of water.
- The grapes were left out in the sun, and they looked shriveled.
Wilt
or the past tense Wilted is another synonym for dry that applies to plants. In this case the plant would be limp and droopy because of the lack of water.
- I forgot to water my tomato plant and the leaves started to wilt.
Wilt can also mean to lose energy.
- Despite all of his training he wilted at the end of the match.
Wizened
means to shrivel or wrinkle with age.
- The old woman had wizened over time
Crisp
can refer to something that is firm, dry, and brittle. When used to describe food, this is often seen as a positive attribute.
- I like my bacon to be crisp.
- The freshest vegetables are always crisp.
It can also be used to describe a person or other nouns.
- She tanned a little too much and looked a little crispy.
Crispy can also refer to something that is cool and invigorating. This could include food or weather.
- The vegetables were perfectly cooked, they were nice and crisp
- I love the crisp air of fall.
It can also mean smooth and without a crease
- Make sure your fabric is crisp before you begin sewing.
It can also be a matter of fact brief way of speaking
- His tone was crisp and a little uninviting.
Brittle
means that something is hard, but could break easily because it’s dry.
- As people get older their bones become brittle.
Dehydrated
refers to a person or another living thing having lost large amounts of water.
- My lawn is dehydrated, because it hasn’t rained in a week.
- I’m not feeling well, I think I may be dehydrated.
Dry has other meanings, it can also mean that something does not yield or supply water or something else that was expected.
- The well is dry. This can refer to an actual well that once had water in it and now does not. It can also be used to refer to something not supplying something needed.
- Our sources for information have dried up. This means that they are no longer there.
Here are some other words that you can use for this meaning of dry.
Empty
means having or containing nothing.
- My coffee cup is empty.
- After walking on the beach I emptied my shoes.
Vacant
means that nothing is there. There is no furniture, inhabitants, or decorations.
- The desert looked vast and vacant.
- The apartment was vacant.
Dry can also refer to little or no rainfall.
- The desert is a dry place and that makes it a tough place to inhabit.
Here are some other words that can be used as synonyms for this definition of dry.
Arid
refers to a climate (place) that has little to no rain, to the point that it is difficult or impossible to grow crops. Arid climates receive 10 inches or less of rain each year.
- Much of Northern Africa has an arid climate.
Arid can also mean lacking interest or excitement.
- The years he spent in his small town were arid, and he couldn’t wait to move to the big city.
Baked
refers to food that is cooked by dry heat, usually in an oven.
- We had baked chicken for dinner.
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