dry 1 of 3

adjective

ˈdrī How to pronounce dry (audio)
Definition of drynext
1
as in thirsty
marked by little or no precipitation or humidity the dry climate of the American Southwest

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest a very dry topic for a lecture at a museum of natural history

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in detached
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others a dry temperament that suited him well in a desk job that required no interaction with the customers

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dry

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to scorch
to make dry the wind quickly dried their clothes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fade
to lose liveliness, force, or freshness his creative talents were just drying on the vine in that small, provincial town

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dry

3 of 3

noun

as in prohibitionist

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dry
Adjective
Uncover and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is puffed and appears dry, and a toothpick inserted into the brownie portion near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 The risk is of particularly high concern in Southern California, where a major Santa Ana wind event is expected to drive dry winds gusting up to 70 mph down mountain slopes. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
To kill lice or eggs that have jumped to surfaces, wash all clothing, bedding, head wear and toys that came in contact with the child’s head in the past two days in hot water and dry them on high heat. — Emily J. C. Wong, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 Technically, given the mechanics of implementing price increases and the need to notify subscribers well in advance, the move was under way before the ink had fully dried on the Skydance deal. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dry
  1. thirsty
  2. boring
  3. detached
  4. scorch
  5. fade
  6. prohibitionist
  7. arid
  8. slow
Adjective
  • The new rules also eliminate the selling and trading of credits automakers use to compensate for producing fuel-thirsty vehicles.
    — Robert Ferris, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Part of that is keeping an eye out for thirsty fans who might have a real interest in your man.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of thirsty
Adjective
  • Most impressive is its capacity to achieve the perfect balance between design and sophistication, without being uptight or boring.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The game was pretty boring overall, and the Seahawks looked like the significantly better team.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • There’s also an indoor-outdoor dog run, as well as a detached guesthouse with its own kitchen and bath and a seven-car garage sporting a Tesla charging station.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Goldfish centers on a 17-year-old high school senior who presents as detached, ironic and emotionally armored, but underneath is quietly paralyzed by fear of failure, abandonment and becoming his parents.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of detached
Verb
  • The Norte fire — the most devastating blaze — scorched more than 570 acres in residential neighborhoods in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, damaging or destroying at least six homes.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That was the update last week at a meeting of the Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG), a confab of scientists whose research interests focus on the scorching world just sunward from Earth.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of scorch
Verb
  • The film is set in Lucknow as the age of the nawabs (Muslim nobles) fades.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • But that boom eventually faded, overwhelmed by larger forces including the rise of the regulatory state and increasingly generous government bailouts.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of fade
Noun
  • Build Guardrails Before You Press Record Walker’s advice is pragmatic, not prohibitionist.
    — Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Despite chang’s antiquity, Tibetans have their share of teetotalers and prohibitionists.
    — Geoff Childs, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
Definition of prohibitionist
Adjective
  • Most of Southern California is arid and rarely receives rainfall during summer and early fall.
    — Nicholas Grondin, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The arid hilltops of the West Bank have seen shepherds come and go for thousands of years, and now some of these shepherds are behind settler violence against Palestinians.
    — Lesley Stahl, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of arid
Adjective
  • On winding roads, its model-specific suspension tuning and focus on weight reduction translate into exceptional body control at speed without becoming brittle or overly rigid in slower, more technical sections.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In particular, he was asked about Netflix’s slower growth (2% year-over-year growth in user engagement during the first half in 2026).
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of slow

Phrases Containing dry

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druthers
dry
dryad
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Cite this Entry

“Dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dry. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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