evaporate

verb

evap·​o·​rate i-ˈva-p(ə-)ˌrāt 

evaporated; evaporating

transitive verb

1

a

: to convert into vapor

also : to dissipate or draw off in vapor or fumes

b

: to deposit (a substance, such as a metal) in the form of a film by sublimation

2

a

: to expel moisture from

b

: expel

evaporate electrons from a hot wire

intransitive verb

1

a

: to pass off in vapor or in minute particles

b(1)

: to pass off or away : disappear

her ardor evaporated

(2)

: to diminish quickly

2

: to give forth vapor

evaporative

i-ˈva-pə-ˌrā-tiv 

adjective

evaporator

i-ˈva-pə-ˌrā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• dematerialize
• disappear
• dissolve
• evanesce
• fade
• flee
• fly
• melt
• sink
• vanish

Examples of evaporate in a Sentence

Let the liquid start to evaporate.

The heat evaporated the water.

The opportunity evaporated before he could act on it.

Recent Examples on the Web

Though imperceptible to humans, 1 degree can make the difference between bitterly cold, dry gusts of arctic air freezing the lake over or evaporating its warm surface waters. —Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 16 Dec. 2024

The resulting mixture is sprayed through a nozzle, which evaporates the solvent leaving spherical particles behind that are then electrochemically treated the same way as the ground char. —Alex Knapp, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

For maybe an eight-minute stretch of that quarter, the Nuggets were making their rotations with tenacity, and a 16-point deficit evaporated. —Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 6 Dec. 2024

The Badwater Basin salt flats sprawl nearly 200 square miles and mark the former site of Lake Manly, an ancient lake that evaporated tens of thousands of years before the arrival of the ‘49ers and left concentrated salt deposits in its wake. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin evaporatus, past participle of evaporare, from e- + vapor steam, vapor

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

evaporate

verb

evap·​o·​rate i-ˈvap-ə-ˌrāt 

evaporated; evaporating

1

: to pass off or cause to pass off into vapor from a liquid state

2

: to pass off or away : disappear

felt the excitement evaporate

3

: to remove some of the water from (as by heating)

evaporator

-ˌrāt-ər 

noun