dry up

verb

dried up; drying up; dries up

transitive verb

: to cut off the supply of

intransitive verb

1

: to disappear as if by evaporation, draining, or cutting off of a source of supply

2

: to wither or die through gradual loss of vitality

3

: to stop talking

Synonyms

• belt up [British]
• clam up
• dummy up
• hush
• pipe down
• quiet (down)
• shut up

Examples of dry up in a Sentence

sick of her constant complaining, he angrily told her to dry up

Recent Examples on the Web

The blisters appear in waves or stages, with some drying up and others forming simultaneously over 3-7 days. —Brandi Jones, Msn-Ed, Health, 18 Oct. 2024

As those favorable conditions dried up, any microbial life that had evolved could have retreated underground for shelter, where there may still be enough nutrients and resources today. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2024

California officials have joined a legal effort to restore water to the Kern River after an abrupt shutoff of water dried up the river and killed thousands of fish in Bakersfield. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024

Though the race has drawn a lot of attention and Democratic money, both could dry up after a decisive win next month. —Nick Coltrain, The Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense