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Meaning & use

hydrate

verb, noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈhaɪdreɪt/
US/ˈhaɪdreɪt/

Meanings

  1. verbtransitive

    To give the body enough water, especially after exercise or illness.

    Grammar: Takes an object: hydrate the body. Also used intransitively with a reflexive sense: remember to hydrate.

    Patterns

    • hydrate someone
    • hydrate the body
    • hydrate yourself

    Runners should hydrate themselves regularly during a long race.

    Doctors told him to hydrate well after the fever.

  2. verbtransitive

    To make the skin or a substance absorb or contain water.

    Grammar: Takes an object: hydrate the skin. Common in skincare and chemistry.

    Patterns

    • hydrate the skin
    • hydrate a substance

    This cream helps hydrate dry skin.

    The chemical process hydrates the compound, adding water molecules to its structure.

  3. nouncountabletechnicalchemistry

    A chemical compound that contains water molecules combined in a fixed ratio.

    Grammar: Countable; often used in chemistry, e.g. a hydrate of copper sulfate.

    Patterns

    • a hydrate of something
    • form a hydrate

    Copper sulfate hydrate is blue because of the water in its crystals.

    The lab stored the hydrate in a sealed container to keep it dry.

Word forms

third person singularhydrates
past tensehydrated
past participlehydrated
-ing formhydrating

Common combinations

stay hydrated
Drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
hydrate the skin
Use a moisturizer to hydrate the skin after washing.
hydrate before exercise
Athletes are advised to hydrate before exercise.
properly hydrated
Make sure you are properly hydrated before the match.

Synonyms and how they differ

moisten
To make something slightly wet; it does not carry the health sense of supplying the body with water.
water
To pour water on plants or soil; it is more general and less about the body's needs.

Opposites

dehydrate

Word family

hydration noun
The process of supplying water to the body or a substance.
dehydrate verb
To remove water from something or to lose too much water from the body.
hydrated adjective
Having enough water, or containing water as part of a chemical structure.

Commonly confused: hydrate or dehydrate?

hydrate vs dehydrate

Dehydrate means to lose or remove water, the opposite of hydrate. A dehydrated person needs to hydrate.

Practice

After the long hike, the guide told everyone to ______.

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