dress rehearsal

noun

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

Rae walked into the Academy of Music just in time for Saturday night's orchestra dress rehearsal and had costume and wig fittings during breaks. — ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026

Despite Campbell’s improvement, the Camels will serve as a final dress rehearsal ahead of SEC play while receiving a $525,000 game guarantee. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026

The Dolphins’ preseason opener against the Commanders on Friday at Northwest Stadium might present a dress rehearsal right off the bat for this new-look roster. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026

The cyberattacks on water systems in Michigan were a dress rehearsal for a more damaging attack on the electrical grid. — Letters To The Editor, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dress rehearsal

• universal
• bursal
• versal
• dispersal
• reversal
• transversal
• traversal

Kids Definition

dress rehearsal

noun

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