as in rehearsals
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
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Recent Examples of dry runs
Israel has intermittently launched such long-range airstrikes since July 2024, after a Houthi drone hit Tel Aviv, in combat missions that, especially in retrospect, served as dry runs for the June air war against Iran.
—
Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dry runs
rehearsals
Noun
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Hutchins died at age 42 in October 2021 after a gun Baldwin was holding during Rust rehearsals discharged, striking her and the film’s writer-director, Joel Souza.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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But honestly, the last three months of rehearsals, getting to know each other, have been an absolute joy for everyone involved.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dry runs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dry%20runs. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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