dress rehearsal

noun

1
: a full rehearsal (as of a play) in costume and with stage properties shortly before the first performance
2
: a practice exercise for something to come : dry run

Examples of dress rehearsal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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What was the sense everyone had after the dress rehearsal? Devon Ivie, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2025 After a dress rehearsal at 8 p.m. on Saturday, a few more sketches are cut at the last minute. Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025 The rocket must still undergo two key milestones, completing a wet dress rehearsal in which the vehicle will be fully fueled and its ground systems tested. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 30 Oct. 2024 But a subsequent meeting in his office each week, in the ninety minutes between the dress rehearsal and the live show, is when Michaels displays his superpowers. Susan Morrison, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for dress rehearsal 

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dress rehearsal was in 1828

Dictionary Entries Near dress rehearsal

Cite this Entry

“Dress rehearsal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dress%20rehearsal. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

dress rehearsal

noun
: a rehearsal of a play in costume and with stage properties shortly before the first performance

More from Merriam-Webster on dress rehearsal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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