dry up
Lose all moisture
To dry up is to lose moisture completely: The riverbed dried up during the drought.
Extended to supply or production, it means to dwindle to nothing: Funding dried up, The leads dried up.
In British slang, telling someone to dry up means shut up or stop talking.
An actor who dries up forgets their lines mid-performance.
Remove all moisture
- evaporateTransition to gaseous state
- parchDry out thoroughly
- witherDry and decay
- shrivelContract from dryness
moisture · dehydration · thirst · parched · cracked · brittle · scorched · depleted
Use up entirely
- run outBecome completely depleted
- diminishTo make smaller
- dwindleDecrease gradually over time
- vanishCease to be visible
disappear · peter out · expire · empty · drain · deplete · dissipate · evaporate
Land becoming barren, infertile
- famineSevere food shortage
- water shortageInsufficient supply of water
- crop failureWhen fields yield nothing
- dust bowlErosion-ravaged drought zone
reservoir · rainfall · irrigation · scarcity · heatwave · barren · wells · aquifer
Lacking in sound
- hushAbsence of sound
- stop talkingCease verbal communication
- speechlessUnable to talk
- tongue-tiedUnable to express oneself
mute · tight-lipped · reticent · uncommunicative · reserved · taciturn · fall silent · zip it
desiccate
Remove all moisture
shrivel · moisture · dehydration · thirst · parched · cracked · brittle · scorched · depleted · baked
exhaust
Use up entirely
vanish · disappear · peter out · expire · empty · drain · deplete · dissipate · evaporate · shrink
wither
Dry and decay
fade · decline · languish · deteriorate · decay · brown · yellow · wilted · drooping · limp
desertification
Land becoming barren, infertile
- famineSevere food shortage
- water shortageInsufficient supply of water
- crop failureWhen fields yield nothing
dust bowl · reservoir · rainfall · irrigation · scarcity · heatwave · barren · wells · aquifer · rationing
quiet
Lacking in sound
- hushAbsence of sound
- stop talkingCease verbal communication
- speechlessUnable to talk
tongue-tied · mute · tight-lipped · reticent · uncommunicative · reserved · taciturn · fall silent · zip it · pipe down
stumble
Lose footing momentarily
- hesitatePause in uncertainty
- stammerSpeak with involuntary repetitions
- stutterInvoluntary speech repetition
flounder · choke · freeze · blank · fumble · stage fright · block · mind goes blank · nervous · tongue-tied