vertrocknen
wither · dry out · dry up
Meaning (English)
vertrocknen means to dry out, to wither, or to shrivel up due to lack of water or moisture. It’s commonly used for plants, but can also describe materials (e.g., paint, glue) or food becoming too dry.
Main senses:
- (Plants/living things) to wither or dry up from drought or insufficient watering
- Die Blumen sind vertrocknet. = The flowers have dried out / withered.
- (Substances/materials/food) to become dried out (often undesirably)
- Die Farbe ist vertrocknet. = The paint has dried up (in the container).
Word parts
- ver-: a prefix that often indicates a change of state, frequently with a negative or “to the point of ruin” nuance
- trocknen: “to dry”
So vertrocknen implies drying out completely / becoming dried up.
German synonyms
Depending on context:
- austrocknen (to dry out)
- verwelken (to wilt, wither — especially plants/flowers)
- verdorren (to wither/dry up — often from heat/drought)
- dürr werden (to become parched/dry — more descriptive)
German antonyms
Depending on context:
- befeuchten (to moisten)
- anfeuchten (to dampen slightly)
- wässern (to water, especially plants)
- bewässern (to irrigate)
- frisch bleiben (to stay fresh — for food)
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Examples
Die Blumen sind vertrocknet, weil wir vergessen haben, sie zu gießen.verb
The flowers have withered because we forgot to water them.
Im Sommer vertrocknen viele Pflanzen ohne Wasser.verb
In summer many plants dry out without water.
Die Blumen vertrocknen in der Hitze.verb
The flowers dry up in the heat.
Ohne genug Wasser vertrocknen die Blätter schnell.verb
Without enough water the leaves dry out quickly.
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