1
: grocery items (such as tobacco, sugar, flour, and coffee) that do not contain liquid
2
: textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, and notions as distinguished especially from hardware and groceries

Examples of dry goods 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.
Free food: Receive dry goods and fresh produce at this walk-up distribution offered by Feeding San Diego at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 9 at the Poway Library, 13137 Poway Road. Pomerado News, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 June 2025 While Trader Joe’s certainly offers plenty of dry goods, produce, and proteins for home cooks, this grocery store chain’s real claims to fame are its beloved snack items and its impressive frozen-food options. Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 20 June 2025 The foundation aid, comprising mostly dry goods such as pasta or lentils, requires gas and water to cook, both of which are hard to procure in Gaza. Bilal Shbeir, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025 The shops on this street used to sell things people actually needed—clothes, shoes, dry goods, groceries, hardware—not just tchotchkes. Literary Hub, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for dry goods

Word History

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of dry goods was in 1657

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dry goods.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry%20goods. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

dry goods

plural noun
: cloth goods (as fabrics, lace, and ribbon)

More from Merriam-Webster on dry goods

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!