evaporate

[ih-vap-uh-reyt]

verb (used without object)

evaporated, evaporating 

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)

evaporated, evaporating 

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

Other Word Forms

• evaporability noun
• evaporator noun
• evaporation noun
• evaporable adjective
• evaporative adjective
• half-evaporated adjective
• half-evaporating adjective
• nonevaporating adjective
• preevaporate verb
• unevaporated 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

Farms and cities are pulling up so much water using high-capacity pumps that much of the water evaporates and eventually ends up as rain falling over the ocean, measurably increasing sea level rise.

From Los Angeles Times

Going into the summer, many in the industry felt that the major effects of the pandemic and the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes of 2023 had finally evaporated from theatrical lineups.

From Los Angeles Times

Those may be “popular at first, and thus helpful in an election campaign, but they are not sustainable and soon evaporate, leaving behind only inflationary pressures that worsen the economy’s longer-term prospects.”

From Los Angeles Times

Less of the Sun's energy has been used in evaporating moisture leaving more to heat the ground and the air.

From BBC

These solvents evaporate quickly and can be easily inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

From Salon

Related Words

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

When To Use

What does evaporate mean?

Evaporate means to change from a liquid or solid state into vapor (like fog, mist, or steam).It can be used in a passive way, as in The water evaporated overnight, or an active way, as in The sun evaporates the water on the surface. The process of evaporating is called evaporation. Both terms are typically used in the context of water turning into water vapor. Water evaporates when it changes into steam through boiling, but in scientific terms, evaporation typically refers to the change of a liquid into a vapor at a temperature below the boiling point, such as when water evaporates from the surface of the ocean. In this way, evaporation is an important part of the water cycle.Evaporate can also be used in a figurative way meaning to disappear, as in The family’s wealth has evaporated, and now they have nothing. Example: The dew on the grass evaporates more quickly in the sunny parts of the yard.