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.
Imperfect dress rehearsals for the Le Mans heavyweights Toyota and Ferrari have together won the last eight runnings of the 24 Hours of Le Mans between them. Luke Smith, New York Times, 9 May 2026 The most important test was a wet dress rehearsal (WDR), a two-day-long practice run of the procedures leading up to launch. Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 8 May 2026 When Taylor Swift brought her Eras tour to SoFi in the summer of 2023, LA Metro used that as something of a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, expanding late service and adding free shuttles from nearby train stations. Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026 But possibly telling about the sketch’s ability to resonate was Padilla’s reaction during dress rehearsal. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 22 Apr. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Dress rehearsal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dress%20rehearsal. Accessed 16 May. 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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