Meaning & use
liquefy vs liquify
Last updated
UK/ˈlɪk.wɪ.faɪ/
US/ˈlɪk.wə.faɪ/
Meaning
verbtransitive or intransitiveformaltechnical
To become liquid or to make something become liquid.
Grammar: Can be used with an object (liquefy the gas) or without (the gas liquefies).
Patterns
- liquefy something
- something liquefies
- liquefy at a low temperature
The heat caused the wax to liquefy.
Scientists liquefy natural gas for transport.
At room temperature, the metal does not liquefy.
Word forms
| third person singular | liquefies |
|---|---|
| past tense | liquefied |
| past participle | liquefied |
| -ing form | liquefying |
Common combinations
- liquefy gas
- The plant liquefies gas for export.
- liquefy under pressure
- The substance liquefies under pressure.
- liquefy at room temperature
- Butter liquefies at room temperature.
Synonyms and how they differ
- melt
- Melt usually means a solid becomes liquid through heat; liquefy is more general and can apply to gases becoming liquid.
- dissolve
- Dissolve means a solid mixes into a liquid to form a solution; liquefy means turning into a liquid.
Opposites
Word family
- liquefaction noun
- The process of becoming liquid.
- liquefied adjective
- Made liquid, as in liquefied petroleum gas.
Commonly confused: liquefy vs liquify or liquify?
liquefy vs liquify vs liquify
Liquify is a variant spelling of liquefy. Both are correct, but liquefy is more common in formal writing.
Practice
Which is the standard spelling in formal writing?
Choose one answer.
Liquefy is the standard form. Liquify is an accepted variant but less formal; the other two are misspellings.
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