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Meaning & use

dehydration

noun·Academicmedical

Last updated

UK/ˌdiː.haɪˈdreɪ.ʃən/
US/ˌdiː.haɪˈdreɪ.ʃən/

Meanings

  1. noununcountablemedical

    A harmful state in which the body has lost more water than it has taken in, causing thirst, tiredness and sometimes serious illness.

    Grammar: No an or an: she suffered from dehydration.

    Patterns

    • suffer from dehydration
    • die of dehydration

    The hikers were treated for dehydration after a day in the desert.

    Vomiting and diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration in small children.

    Headaches and dark urine are common signs of dehydration.

  2. noununcountabletechnical

    The process of removing water from food or another substance, often to preserve it.

    Grammar: Refers to a process: dehydration of fruit.

    Patterns

    • dehydration of something

    Dehydration of fruit makes it last for months without a fridge.

    The factory uses controlled dehydration to make powdered milk.

    Dehydration is one of the oldest ways to preserve food.

Common combinations

severe dehydration
Severe dehydration needs medical treatment.
suffer from dehydration
Many runners suffer from dehydration in summer races.
prevent dehydration
Drinking water regularly helps prevent dehydration.
signs of dehydration
Dizziness can be one of the signs of dehydration.
risk of dehydration
Hot weather increases the risk of dehydration.

Synonyms and how they differ

fluid loss
Fluid loss is a more general clinical phrase and does not always imply a dangerous condition.
desiccation
Desiccation is a formal or scientific word for drying out completely, often used for objects or organisms.
drying
Drying is an everyday word for removing moisture and does not refer to the body's condition.

Opposites

hydrationoverhydration

Word family

dehydrate verb
to lose or remove water
dehydrated adjective
lacking enough water
hydrate verb
to supply water to something
hydration noun
having enough water in the body
rehydrate verb
to restore water to the body or food

Commonly confused: dehydration or dehydrated?

dehydration vs dehydrated

Dehydrated is the adjective describing a person or food that lacks water; dehydration is the noun for the condition or process.

Practice

After the marathon, several runners were treated for ___ because they had not drunk enough water.

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