verb
verdunsten
evaporate
Definition & meaning
verdunsten means “to evaporate” or “to vaporize gradually.” It describes a liquid changing into a gas, usually at temperatures below its boiling point.
- Das Wasser verdunstet in der Sonne. — “The water evaporates in the sun.”
- Die Pfütze ist vollständig verdunstet. — “The puddle has completely evaporated.”
It can also be used figuratively to describe something gradually disappearing:
- Seine Hoffnung ist langsam verdunstet. — “His hope gradually evaporated.”
Grammar & Word origin
- Word class: verb
- Conjugation: verdunstet – verdunstete – ist verdunstet
- Usually used intransitively: Das Wasser verdunstet — “The water evaporates.”
- A common causative construction is etwas verdunsten lassen — “to let something evaporate” or “to cause something to evaporate.”
The word consists of:
- ver-: a verb prefix that can indicate a change of state or disappearance
- Dunst : “mist,” “vapor,” or “haze”
Thus, verdunsten literally conveys the idea of changing into vapor.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- verdampfen — “to vaporize” or “to evaporate.” This is broader and often suggests evaporation through heating, especially near or at the boiling point. Verdunsten usually refers to a slow, natural process.
- sich verflüchtigen — “to evaporate” or “to dissipate.” It can refer to liquids and gases, but is also frequently used figuratively for feelings, hopes, or ideas.
- verschwinden — “to disappear.” This is much more general and does not specifically imply evaporation.
Antonyms
- kondensieren — “to condense,” meaning to change from a gas into a liquid.
- sich niederschlagen — “to condense” or “to precipitate,” especially when vapor forms droplets on a surface.
Common phrases & collocations
- Wasser verdunstet — water evaporates
- schnell verdunsten — to evaporate quickly
- langsam verdunsten — to evaporate slowly
- in der Sonne verdunsten — to evaporate in the sun
- Feuchtigkeit verdunstet — moisture evaporates
- etwas verdunsten lassen — to let something evaporate
- die Hoffnung verdunstet — hope evaporates, used figuratively
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Examples
Das Wasser in der Pfanne verdunstet schnell.verb
The water in the pan evaporates quickly.
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