dessécher

A common verb for drying something out until it loses moisture and often life — sun and wind dessèchent the skin or soil, and figuratively, a person's heart or feelings can se dessécher from lack of warmth. Distinct from sécher (to dry, more neutral) by its stronger sense of excessive, often harmful drying.

• Le soleil a desséché la terre du jardin. — The sun has dried out the garden's soil.
• Ce savon dessèche beaucoup la peau. — This soap really dries out the skin.
• Ses années de solitude ont fini par dessécher son cœur. — His years of loneliness eventually hardened his heart.

Don't use dessécher as a casual synonym for sécher (to simply dry, like drying dishes or hair) — dessécher implies excessive or damaging drying, so 'sécher ses cheveux' is normal but 'dessécher ses cheveux' suggests actual damage.

Often confused with sécher.