dress rehearsal

noun

Synonyms of dress rehearsalnext
1
: a full rehearsal (as of a play) in costume and with stage properties shortly before the first performance
2
: a practice exercise for something to come : dry run

Examples of dress rehearsal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Treat Colorado as the dress rehearsal, not the sideshow. Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026 Goalkeeper Patrick Beach made an important stop late in the first half, one of two saves on the afternoon, and Australia avoided the second goal that might have turned the match into a comfortable Swiss dress rehearsal. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026 These events were staging posts on a five-year journey to the World Cup, with last summer’s Club World Cup the final dress rehearsal. Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 5 June 2026 The three decades since Kotter ended have not, evidently, been kind to the show, as the audience during dress rehearsal completely failed to recognize Ferrell's resemblance to Kaplan, and thus, the thrust of the joke. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dress rehearsal

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dress rehearsal was in 1812

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dress rehearsal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dress%20rehearsal. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

dress rehearsal

noun
: a rehearsal of a play in costume and with stage properties shortly before the first performance

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