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
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Recent Examples of dry run
In retrospect, Kinetta feels like a dry run for Lanthimos, with all the droll affectation of his later provocations but little of the allegorical power or lunatic comedy that would distinguish them.
—
A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
The man tried a dry run on rear-ending the police SUV before hitting the SUV with an officer inside, according to the county sheriff and video.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Safety officials at the stadium, meanwhile, used last summer’s Gold Cup soccer match between Mexico and Honduras as a security dry run for next summer’s FIFA men’s World Cup.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
The younger Harrison has already experienced this Indiana trip, a dry run of sorts.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dry run
A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
The man tried a dry run on rear-ending the police SUV before hitting the SUV with an officer inside, according to the county sheriff and video.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Safety officials at the stadium, meanwhile, used last summer’s Gold Cup soccer match between Mexico and Honduras as a security dry run for next summer’s FIFA men’s World Cup.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
The younger Harrison has already experienced this Indiana trip, a dry run of sorts.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dry run
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dry run
Noun
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Their flight plan for Friday also included rehearsals of basic medical procedures — including chest compressions and methods to clear airway obstructions — to help prepare future Orion crews for possible emergencies in deep space.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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During rehearsals, McCormack welcomed all professional feedback to reach the exacting standards of the realistic medical show, especially when using instruments such as a cranial drill.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the usual course of things, a promising drug candidate would be ushered into human trials.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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As it’s applied today, the law allows trial attorneys to prey on the state’s small and mid-sized businesses — filing frivolous, costly lawsuits over even the most minor violation of California’s complex labor code.—
Tom Manzo,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dry run.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dry%20run. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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