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.
Then this year, the offense completely dried up. Joe Smith, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025 Since Lori’s art restoration business dried up, she’s been running a food truck. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025 The latest estimate, released in June, projects that the fund will dry up in 2033, at which point Uncle Sam will only be able to pay beneficiaries 77% of what they’re owed. Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025 Roughly 70% of 2024 revenue came from transaction fees, a notoriously cyclical stream that dries up in down markets. Marie Poteriaieva, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 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 13 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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