Dry
/draɪ/
Definitions
3 meaningsFree from moisture or wetness; not wet.
/draɪ/
Lacking moisture or wetness
The sand is dry and warm.
💡 Simply: Think of a towel after you use it. That's dry! It means something doesn't have any water on it. Like, if you spill water on the table, you can wipe it dry.
👶 For kids: Not wet. Like when the sun dries your clothes.
More Examples
Please wipe your feet on the dry mat.
The laundry is dry now, so I can put it away.
How It's Used
"The clothes are dry after hanging them outside."
"It was a dry summer with very little rain."
Not emotional or passionate; lacking in interest or enthusiasm.
/draɪ/
Lacking interest or excitement
The book was a bit dry, but I finished it anyway.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, something is boring and not very interesting. That's dry! Like, if someone tells a story in a dull voice, you might say their story is dry.
👶 For kids: Boring or not fun.
More Examples
His dry sense of humor always gets a laugh.
The presentation was informative, but a bit dry.
How It's Used
"The comedian's dry wit had the audience laughing."
"She gave a dry response to his question."
To make or become free from moisture; to remove wetness.
/draɪ/
To remove moisture; make something dry
I need to dry my hair after my shower.
💡 Simply: When you wash your hands, they get wet, right? Then you can use a towel to dry them. That's what the word "dry" means as a verb – to remove the water.
👶 For kids: To take away the water. Like when you use a towel to dry your hands.
More Examples
The sun quickly dried the puddle on the sidewalk.
She dried the tears from her eyes.
How It's Used
"I need to dry the dishes before putting them away."
"The sun dried the clothes hanging on the line."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
dry run
A rehearsal or practice session, especially for a performance or operation.
"We'll have a dry run before the actual presentation to work out any issues."
dry up
To become completely dry or to cause something to dry completely.
"The river dried up during the drought."
From Old English drȳge, related to Dutch droog and German trocken, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *drūgaz. It originally referred to the absence of water or moisture.
The word "dry" has been used since Old English times and primarily referred to the lack of moisture. Its figurative uses, such as in describing humor, developed over time.
Memory tip
Imagine a desert; it's dry, with no water.
Word Origin
"lacking moisture"