失水反应，也称脱水反应，是消除反应的一类，反应中反应物发生化学反应脱去水。加速失水反应进行的化学试剂一般称为失水剂。醇失水成烯或醚的反应是常见的失水反应之一，反应通常需要借助布朗斯特酸催化，以使不好的离去基团羟基（-OH）转化为易离去的水（-OH₂）。

有机合成中的失水反应主要有：

浓硫酸与水发生强烈放热反应，推动了上述反应进行。

常见的失水剂有：浓硫酸、浓磷酸、热氧化铝及热的陶瓷材料。

In chemistry and the biological sciences, a dehydration reaction is usually defined as a chemical reaction that involves the loss of a water molecule from the reacting molecule. Dehydration reactions are a subset of condensation reactions. Because the hydroxyl group (–OH) is a poor leaving group, having a Brønsted acid catalyst often helps by protonating the hydroxyl group to give the better leaving group, –OH₂. The reverse of a dehydration reaction is a hydration reaction. Common dehydrating agents used in organic synthesis include concentrated sulfuric acid, concentrated phosphoric acid, hot aluminium oxide and hot ceramic.