1
a
: free or relatively free from a liquid and especially water
Mix the dry ingredients first.
as dry as a bone
b
: not being in or under water
happy to be on dry land
c
meteorology
: lacking precipitation or humidity
a dry climate
2
a
: characterized by exhaustion of a supply of liquid
a dry well
b
geology
: devoid of running water
a dry ravine
c
: devoid of natural moisture
My throat was dry.
dry leaves
d
: no longer sticky or damp
The paint isn't dry yet.
e
: not giving milk
a dry cow
f
: lacking freshness : stale
g
chemistry
: anhydrous
3
a
: marked by the absence or scantiness of secretions
a dry cough
b
: not shedding or accompanied by tears
a dry sob
4
obsolete
: involving no bloodshed or drowning
I would fain die a dry death—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare5
a
: marked by the absence of alcoholic beverages
a dry party
b
: prohibiting the manufacture or distribution of alcoholic beverages
a dry county
6
: served or eaten without butter or margarine
dry toast
7
alcohol
a
: lacking sweetness : sec
dry champagne
b
: having all or most sugar fermented to alcohol
a dry wine
dry beer
8
a
: solid as opposed to liquid
dry groceries
b
: reduced to powder or flakes : dehydrated
dry milk
c
: dealing in dry goods or other nonperishable items
After breakfast, we head to the wet market along Graham Street in Hong Kong. The wet market sells foodstuffs; the adjacent dry market offers clothes, shoes, and other retail items.—Rudy Maxa
Rudy Maxa9
: functioning without lubrication
a dry clutch
10
of natural gas
: containing no recoverable hydrocarbon (such as gasoline)
11
: requiring no liquid in preparation or operation
a dry photocopying process
12
a
: not showing or communicating warmth, enthusiasm, or tender feeling : severe
a dry style of painting
b
: wearisome, uninteresting
dry passages of description
a dry lecturer
c
: lacking embellishment : plain
13
a
: not yielding what is expected or desired : unproductive
a writer going through a dry spell
b
: having no personal bias or emotional concern
the dry light of reason
14
: marked by matter-of-fact, ironic, or terse manner of expression
a dry wit
has a very dry sense of humor
15
: lacking smooth sound qualities
a dry rasping voice
16
: being a dry run
a dry rehearsal
dried; drying
: to make dry (see dry entry 1)
drying her hair
: to become dry
waiting for the paint to dry
plural drys
1
: the condition of being dry (see dry entry 1) : dryness
2
: something dry
especially
: a dry place
3
Synonyms
Examples of dry in a Sentence
Adjective
Mix the dry ingredients first, then add the milk and eggs.
the dry heat of the desert
We tried to stay dry in the rain by standing under a tree.
The stream is bone dry.
Are the clothes dry yet?
The paint should be dry in a few hours.
a stretch of dry weather
a country with a very dry climate
This plant does well in dry conditions.
The chicken was dry and tasteless.
Verb
I'll wash the dishes if you dry them.
Make sure you dry your hands.
He dried himself with the towel.
Stop crying and dry your eyes.
I'll wash and you dry, okay?
Your shirt is drying on the clothesline.
See More
Recent Examples on the WebHayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2024
But cloud seeding has mostly been deployed successfully in dry climates, not in tropical countries like Panama.
—Peter Millard, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2024
Lake-effect snowstorms: These snowstorms occur when cold, dry air masses travel across the lakes causing more water to evaporate off the lake.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2024
Lots of dry snow blanketing an equal amount of bigger and intermediate runs making Big White Ski Resort perfect for families.
—Jonny Bierman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Jan. 2024
Looking back at the calendar year, 2023 was abnormally warm and somewhat drier than normal.
—Matt Rogers, Washington Post, 2 Jan. 2024
Also, dry areas like bathroom storage must be water-resistant as shower splashes occur.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2024
Foaming Hair Removal Spray is another dry skin-benefiting formula thanks to its inclusion of shea butter.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 2 Jan. 2024
To prevent this from happening, spray some dry shampoo onto your hair immediately after washing.
—Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 2 Jan. 2024
Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 2 Jan. 2024
They’re made of 100 percent cotton that’s fluffy and super soft, and in addition to the restroom, can be used for the gym, yoga, or even drying dishes.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2023
In the accompanying snaps, she could be seen hanging up a white sheet to dry on a tree branch near the water as her dog waits nearby.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 28 Dec. 2023
Barberries, the tiny, tart, Vitamin-C-rich fruit of a thorny shrub, are dried for use in any number of Persian dishes besides rice, including stews and jam.
—Sunset Magazine, 28 Dec. 2023
And, like most of Lululemon’s tops, this one dries super fast and wicks away sweat.
—Staff Author and Katie Jackson Published, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2023
Also, be sure to dry it thoroughly before putting it away.
—Christa Glennie, wsj.com, 26 Dec. 2023
Place the candle on a drying rack or clip it to a hanger by its wick.
—Jennifer Forker, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2023
Workers peel and hang the fruit to dry, and then periodically massage the drying persimmons to coax the natural sugars to the surface and eliminate air bubbles.
—Megan Zhang, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Dec. 2023
Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 18 Nov. 2023
Unfold and glue the two end pieces together to form a bell (use a paper clip to hold the pieces together until the glue dries).
—Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Nov. 2023
Add sprinkles quickly: Make sure to sprinkle before the coating dries.
—Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 11 Nov. 2023
However, after the disinfectant dries, food-contact surfaces should typically be rinsed with a wet rag or paper towel.
—Jessica Comstock, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2023
Thinking about skipping the blow dries or leaving your flat iron at home?
—Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2023
In this case, the glue will act as the main hold while the screws essentially serve as clamps until the adhesive dries.
—Jean Levasseur, Popular Science, 26 July 2023
The drupe fruit contains a small pit in the middle exposed when the fleshy exterior dries and splits open.
—USA TODAY, 4 July 2023
This non-slip stone mat, which was featured in a TikTok video that's racked up more than 173,000 views, is made of siliceous sedimentary rock, which can hold up to 150 percent of its weight in moisture and dries in seconds, leaving you with a clean, mold-free surface every time.
—Stephanie Montes, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2023
See More
Adjective
Sparse snowpack can also lead to drier, more fire-prone forests.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2024
But cloud seeding has mostly been deployed successfully in dry climates, not in tropical countries like Panama.
—Peter Millard, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2024
Lake-effect snowstorms: These snowstorms occur when cold, dry air masses travel across the lakes causing more water to evaporate off the lake.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2024
Lots of dry snow blanketing an equal amount of bigger and intermediate runs making Big White Ski Resort perfect for families.
—Jonny Bierman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Jan. 2024
Looking back at the calendar year, 2023 was abnormally warm and somewhat drier than normal.
—Matt Rogers, Washington Post, 2 Jan. 2024
Also, dry areas like bathroom storage must be water-resistant as shower splashes occur.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2024
Foaming Hair Removal Spray is another dry skin-benefiting formula thanks to its inclusion of shea butter.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 2 Jan. 2024
To prevent this from happening, spray some dry shampoo onto your hair immediately after washing.
—Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 2 Jan. 2024
Verb
His top styling tip is to use a round brush when blow drying.
—Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 2 Jan. 2024
They’re made of 100 percent cotton that’s fluffy and super soft, and in addition to the restroom, can be used for the gym, yoga, or even drying dishes.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2023
In the accompanying snaps, she could be seen hanging up a white sheet to dry on a tree branch near the water as her dog waits nearby.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 28 Dec. 2023
Barberries, the tiny, tart, Vitamin-C-rich fruit of a thorny shrub, are dried for use in any number of Persian dishes besides rice, including stews and jam.
—Sunset Magazine, 28 Dec. 2023
And, like most of Lululemon’s tops, this one dries super fast and wicks away sweat.
—Staff Author and Katie Jackson Published, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2023
Also, be sure to dry it thoroughly before putting it away.
—Christa Glennie, wsj.com, 26 Dec. 2023
Place the candle on a drying rack or clip it to a hanger by its wick.
—Jennifer Forker, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2023
Workers peel and hang the fruit to dry, and then periodically massage the drying persimmons to coax the natural sugars to the surface and eliminate air bubbles.
—Megan Zhang, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Dec. 2023
Noun
This Revlon hot air brush blow dries, styles, and smooths simultaneously to give you a salon-worthy blowout at home.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 18 Nov. 2023
Unfold and glue the two end pieces together to form a bell (use a paper clip to hold the pieces together until the glue dries).
—Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Nov. 2023
Add sprinkles quickly: Make sure to sprinkle before the coating dries.
—Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 11 Nov. 2023
However, after the disinfectant dries, food-contact surfaces should typically be rinsed with a wet rag or paper towel.
—Jessica Comstock, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2023
Thinking about skipping the blow dries or leaving your flat iron at home?
—Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2023
In this case, the glue will act as the main hold while the screws essentially serve as clamps until the adhesive dries.
—Jean Levasseur, Popular Science, 26 July 2023
The drupe fruit contains a small pit in the middle exposed when the fleshy exterior dries and splits open.
—USA TODAY, 4 July 2023
This non-slip stone mat, which was featured in a TikTok video that's racked up more than 173,000 views, is made of siliceous sedimentary rock, which can hold up to 150 percent of its weight in moisture and dries in seconds, leaving you with a clean, mold-free surface every time.
—Stephanie Montes, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective, Verb, and Noun
Middle English, from Old English drȳge; akin to Old High German truckan dry, Old English drēahnian to drain
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of dry was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing dry
Dictionary Entries Near dry
Cite this Entry
“Dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry. Accessed 9 Jan. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
dry
1 of 3 adjective
drier
ˈdrī(-ə)r
; driest
ˈdrī-əst
1
: free or nearly free from liquid and especially water
dry weight
dry steam
2
: characterized by loss or lack of water: as
a
: lacking precipitation and humidity
a dry climate
b
: lacking freshness : stale
c
: low in or deprived of natural juices or moisture
dry hay
a dry fruit
3
: not being in or under water
dry land
4
a
b
: marked by the absence of alcoholic beverages
a dry party
c
: no longer damp or sticky
the paint is dry
5
: containing or using no liquid (as water)
a dry creek
dry heat
6
: not giving milk
a dry cow
7
: not producing phlegm
dry cough
8
: not producing or yielding what is expected or wanted
a dry oil well
9
: marked by a matter-of-fact, ironic, or terse manner of expression
dry humor
10
: failing to arouse interest or enthusiasm
a dry lecture
11
: not sweet
dry wines
12
: relating to, favoring, or practicing prohibition of alcoholic beverages
a dry county
dryly
adverb
or drily
dryness
noun
dry
2 of 3 verb
dried; drying
: to make or become dry
Medical Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on dry
Nglish: Translation of dry for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of dry for Arabic Speakers
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