dry run

noun

1
: a practice exercise : rehearsal, trial
2
: a practice firing without ammunition

Examples of dry run in a Sentence

We did a dry run of the experiment. After several dry runs, she was ready to give the speech.
Recent Examples on the Web So why not fantasize about what to buy your favorite TV characters instead—whether as a welcome distraction from the stresses of real-life shopping, or as a kind of dry run? Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2023 The training included a dry run of shooting down Israeli aircraft and taking over a kibbutz and a military training base, killing all the cadets. Adam Goldman, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023 While the June dry run had recovery team members practicing the handling of a mock return capsule and delivery to a simulated clean room, the second session (which took place from July 18 to 20) was on location in the area of the Utah desert where the asteroid samples will arrive. Leonard David, Scientific American, 27 July 2023 The striking moment, facilitated once again by Peter Jackson’s audio technology, was a dry run for a reunion on record. Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 26 Oct. 2023 The Biden team made scant secret that this speech in Tempe was a dry run for a likely campaign against Donald Trump. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 9 Oct. 2023 The rocket was supposed to have made its dry run by 2017. Dallas News, 16 Nov. 2022 Follow the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's coverage of the first Republican presidential debate More:Milwaukee gears up for Republican primary debate some see as dry run for 2024 RNC What major events have happened there? Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2023 The most concerning ones are those that any dry run’s meticulous planning and improvisational actions can’t properly address. Leonard David, Scientific American, 27 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dry run.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1941, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dry run was circa 1941

Dictionary Entries Near dry run

Cite this Entry

“Dry run.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry%20run. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dry run

noun
1
: a practice firing without ammunition
2
: a practice exercise
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