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

Examples of dry up in a Sentence

sick of her constant complaining, he angrily told her to dry up
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The budget is a complex document — with money streaming in or drying up from sources with different spending rules. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025 And so, without the corporate donations typically fueled by Pride partnerships, even that private sector support is drying up. Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 Due to the injuries to Banchero and Franz Wagner, da Silva played a lot, but those minutes dried up with both healthy and da Silva lacking reliable ways to score outside of the 3-point line. Law Murray, New York Times, 22 June 2025 Likewise, skilled in-home health care – an option used more in Southern California than in any part of the country – also could be priced out of reach as federal funding dries up. Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for dry up

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of dry up was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dry up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry%20up. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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