dry 1 of 3

adjective

ˈdrī How to pronounce dry (audio)
Definition of drynext
1
as in thirsty
marked by little or no precipitation or humidity the dry climate of the American Southwest

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest a very dry topic for a lecture at a museum of natural history

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in detached
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others a dry temperament that suited him well in a desk job that required no interaction with the customers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dry

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to scorch
to make dry the wind quickly dried their clothes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fade
to lose liveliness, force, or freshness his creative talents were just drying on the vine in that small, provincial town

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dry

3 of 3

noun

as in prohibitionist

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dry
Adjective
Dozens of sunken skiffs and speedboats, long written off by their owners, sat dry on the sand. — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 Played completely deadpan by Konopka, the character beneath this daft assemblage of aesthetic choices makes no real sense as a functionary in this dry, dark future, much less as its hero. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
Its most familiar form combines sturdy bread (either stale or intentionally dried) with ripe tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, onion, and herbs. — Lillian Syme, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026 Leave the lunch box unzipped and completely open to air dry overnight. — Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dry
  1. thirsty
  2. boring
  3. detached
  4. scorch
  5. fade
  6. prohibitionist
  7. arid
  8. slow
Adjective
  • Southern Nevada has already dramatically reduced its use of Colorado River water by about 40% over the last 25 years, including by aggressively promoting the removal of thirsty grass and outlawing front-yard lawns for new subdivisions.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Add the cost of tires, consumables, a thirsty engine, and the fact that cars are all so ludicrously expensive to begin with these days, and soon the whole thing starts to look unsustainable.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of thirsty
Adjective
  • The boring rosters, the passive-aggressive press conferences, the endless parade of mediocre seasons — cresting and falling with an inexplicable 2021 and 2026 — has been brutal to watch.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The real world is always more boring than sci-fi, but solving this part of the puzzle will still be fascinating and not easy.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • The former Feyenoord boss stood accused of being too detached from the local fanbase.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Supervisors also supported language that would allow detached guest houses to be used as vacation rentals.
    — Haley Parsley August 20, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of detached
Verb
  • While blistering heat continues to scorch much of the nation's southern tier, the Midwest and Northeast are enjoying a brief fall preview.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Rémi Lecoutre, deputy head gardener at the Claude Monet House and Gardens museum, gave France 24 a tour, which revealed the nasturtiums to be completely wiped out; many other flowers appeared scorched or dead.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of scorch
Verb
  • Bitcoin has been in a prolonged slump since October, and BTIG noted that a similar surge in January 2023 initially faded before the cryptocurrency found support around its 200-day moving average.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The crimson hue that may have been visible at the height of the eclipse will gradually fade as the crescent of the lunar disk exposed to direct sunlight grows, and normality reasserts itself over the natural satellite.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of fade
Noun
  • Despite chang’s antiquity, Tibetans have their share of teetotalers and prohibitionists.
    — Geoff Childs, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
  • Yet just as humans seem inherently inclined to imbibe addictive substances, so too are governments inclined to embrace this prohibitionist mentality at every opportunity.
    — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of prohibitionist
Adjective
  • Since 2022, Dava has turned to hydroponic farming in a plot of land in Al Kharj, an arid area with nutrient-rich soil known for its date palms.
    — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Aug. 2026
  • But, because the vast majority of our planet is covered in water and non-arid land, they are rarely observed by human eyes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of arid
Adjective
  • The challenge is that the hydrogen evolution reaction is slower in alkaline environments, increasing the need for catalysts that can deliver high activity without rapidly losing performance.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • As Mikhail Gorbachev became Soviet premier and promised new openness with a policy of glasnost, a slow thaw would begin toward free speech, human rights, the release of political dissidents and relaxed restrictions on emigration.
    — Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of slow

Phrases Containing dry

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druthers
dry
dryad
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Cite this Entry

“Dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dry. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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