evaporate

[ ih-vap-uh-reyt ]

verb (used without object)

, e·vap·o·rat·ed, e·vap·o·rat·ing.

1. to change from a liquid or solid state into vapor; pass off in vapor.

   Synonyms: vaporize

2. to give off moisture.
3. to disappear; vanish; fade:

   His hopes evaporated.

   Synonyms: evanesce

verb (used with object)

, e·vap·o·rat·ed, e·vap·o·rat·ing.

1. to convert into a gaseous state or vapor; drive off or extract in the form of vapor:

   The warm sun evaporated the dew.

2. to extract moisture or liquid from, as by heat, so as to make dry or to reduce to a denser state:

   to evaporate fruit.

3. to cause to disappear or fade; dissipate:

   His involvement in the scandal evaporated any hope he had for a political career.

evaporate

/ ɪˈvæpəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to change or cause to change from a liquid or solid state to a vapour Compare boil 1
2. to lose or cause to lose liquid by vaporization, leaving a more concentrated residue
3. to disappear or cause to disappear; fade away or cause to fade away

   all her doubts evaporated

4. tr to deposit (a film, metal, etc) by vaporization of a liquid or solid and the subsequent condensation of its vapour

Derived Forms

• eˌvaporaˈbility, noun
• eˈvapoˌrator, noun
• eˌvapoˈration, noun
• eˈvaporable, adjective
• eˈvaporative, adjective

Other Words From

• half-e·vapo·rated adjective
• half-e·vapo·rating adjective
• none·vapo·rating adjective
• pree·vapo·rate verb preevaporated preevaporating
• une·vapo·rated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of evaporate¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English evaporaten, from Latin ēvapōrātus (past participle of ēvapōrāre “to disperse in vapor”); e- ¹, vapor, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of evaporate¹

C16: from Late Latin ēvapōrāre, from Latin vapor steam; see vapour

Synonym Study

Evaporate, dehydrate, dry mean to abstract moisture from. To evaporate is to remove moisture by means of heat, forced ventilation, or the like, and thus to produce condensation or shriveling: to evaporate milk, sliced apples. To dehydrate is to remove moisture from a vegetable, fruit, or body tissue: to dehydrate fruit; dehydrated from running. To dry may mean to wipe moisture off the surface or to withdraw moisture by natural means, such as exposure to air or heat: to dry a dish, clothes.

Example Sentences

It's intriguing that key information about a once vital national security asset can just evaporate.

From BBC

All that energy would have generated massive amounts of heat that boiled the oceans causing up to tens of metres of water to evaporate.

From BBC

Most people don't know this, but about 25% of cancer patients go bankrupt or lose their home, while 60% evaporate their savings.

From Salon

Any chance of Oseguera González reaching a deal seemed to evaporate last year when he backed out of a plea at the eleventh hour after changing attorneys.

From Los Angeles Times

And John King will get in front of a magnetic board that didn’t exist in 2000 and say, we know because of what’s happening in Maricopa County, that actually what looks like a pretty strong lead for Trump will basically evaporate.

From Slate

Related Words

• disappear
• disperse
• dissipate
• fade
• melt
• vanish
• vaporize
• weaken