Meaning & use
dehumidify
Last updated
UK/ˌdiːhjuːˈmɪdɪfaɪ/
US/ˌdiːhjuːˈmɪdɪfaɪ/
Meaning
verbtransitive
To remove extra water vapor from the air in a room or building.
Grammar: Takes an object: dehumidify the room.
Patterns
- dehumidify something
- dehumidify the air
We need to dehumidify the basement before we store anything there.
The machine dehumidifies the air in about an hour.
Word forms
| third-person singular | dehumidifies |
|---|---|
| past tense | dehumidified |
| past participle | dehumidified |
| -ing form | dehumidifying |
Common combinations
- dehumidify the air
- The device dehumidifies the air in the greenhouse.
- dehumidify a room
- You should dehumidify the room to prevent mold.
- dehumidify the basement
- They hired a service to dehumidify the basement after the flood.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dry
- To dry something means to remove water from it, but not necessarily from the air; dehumidify specifically targets airborne moisture.
Opposites
Word family
- dehumidifier noun
- A machine that removes moisture from the air.
- dehumidification noun
- The process of removing moisture from the air.
Commonly confused: dehumidify or humidify?
dehumidify vs humidify
Humidify means to add moisture to the air, the opposite of dehumidify.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'dehumidify' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Only the first sentence uses 'dehumidify' to mean removing moisture from the air. The other options misuse the word by applying it to adding water or unrelated actions.
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