dry run

Definition of dry runnext
as in rehearsal
a private performance or session in preparation for a public appearance we had time for just one dry run of the play before opening night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 run Deitch hopes this year’s inaugural edition will serve as a dry run for a larger parade timed to the 2028 Olympics. — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026 The makers did two test runs with a replica of identical size and weight to the tapestry, one in a Mercedes truck from Bayeux to London, in a secret February dry run, another in public in April. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 4 June 2026 One fear is that these pipeline problems are not merely a Golden State issue—that California’s primary is a (very) dry run for the Democrats’ path to higher leadership, and specifically the great big beautiful office that will open in 2029. — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 As part of its dry run at Mars, the spacecraft will also practice hunting for faint circumplanetary rings of dust that might originate from the planet’s small moons and be backlit by the sun into clearer visibility. — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for dry run
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dry run
Noun
  • Unshatter references the band’s history, including some early rehearsal footage with Bennington during the end credits, but maintains a focus on recent events.
    — Gary Graff, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2026
  • And also, rehearsal is not really where Lance’s interest lies.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • When the trial ended, the country gladly went back to DST in the summers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • After a 2021 trial, Silver ruled against the state, issuing an injunction that required corrections authorities to address the constitutional violations.
    — Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dry run.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dry%20run. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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