Learn English – A word that means “to deprive someone of water”

single-word-requests

"to starve" means "to deprive someone of food", but what about an analogous word for water?

Is there a word that means "to deprive someone of water"?

"Dehydrate" is the closest I could think of, but its meaning is more to actively extract water, rather than withhold it. I was hoping for a word that conveyed "water" and only water – ie particular to the deprivation of water (alone)

Best Answer

Merriam-Webster does have a closer definition than you have mentioned for "Dehydrate:

2: to deprive of vitality or savor

"Vitality" here could very easily refer to water, depending on context.

Also, there is a medical definition of "Desiccate" which means according to MW:

to dry up or cause to dry up : deprive or exhaust of moisture;

or the less active, non-medical definition:

1: to dry up

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