tumble dry

verb

tumble dried; tumble drying; tumble dries

transitive verb

: to dry (clothes, fabrics, etc.) by tumbling in a dryer

tumble dryer noun

tumble drying noun

Examples of tumble dry in a Sentence

He tumble dried his clothes on high heat.

Recent Examples on the Web

Use cold-water delicate settings, then air-dry or tumble dry with low heat. — Bridget Reed Morawski, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2026

Add dryer balls for extra softness, and then tumble dry. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 27 June 2026

Minimize Heat Air dry or tumble dry on low or no heat. — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 26 June 2026

If your pillows are feeling lackluster between washes, tumble dry them on low with no detergent to fluff them up. — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tumble dry

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

tumble dry

verb

tumble dried; tumble drying

: to dry (as clothes) in a dryer