Words / B2

i-VAP-uh-rayt/ɪˈvæpəreɪt/

To evaporate is to change from liquid to vapour, or to disappear: water evaporates; support evaporated. Vanish is everyday for the second sense; boil is not the same (boiling is rapid). Merger support evaporated after leaks. Do not mix with evacuate (empty a place).

Meaning

To change from liquid into vapour; also to disappear.

Examples

• “Support for the merger evaporated after the leaked emails.”
• “Leave the dish so the solvent can evaporate, which is the science sense.”

Good to know

evaporate from; support / funding evaporated. Science: liquid → vapour. Everyday twin (second sense): vanish. Mix-up: evacuate. Chemistry and politics.

Near in meaning

vanish

New