dry-clean
Americanverb (used with object)
-
dry-cleans,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dry-cleaned,
past participle, past
-
dry-cleaning
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dry-cleansimple
-
dry-cleanssimple
-
have dry-cleanedperfect
-
has dry-cleanedperfect
-
am dry-cleaningprogressive
-
are dry-cleaningprogressive
-
is dry-cleaningprogressive
-
have been dry-cleaningperfect progressive
-
has been dry-cleaningperfect progressive
Past
-
dry-cleanedsimple
-
had dry-cleanedperfect
-
was dry-cleaningprogressive
-
were dry-cleaningprogressive
-
had been dry-cleaningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dry-clean
First recorded in 1810–20; back formation from dry cleaning
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
If it merely says to dry-clean, consider that a recommendation, and know that you might be able to do it yourself.
From Washington Post ● May 17, 2022
It had been pressed up against the winter coats, shrouded in its dry-clean carrier, and although I tried to forget about it, I never could.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 15, 2018
It is made of polyester and viscose and, unlike its inspiration, is dry-clean only.
From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2018
"It costs a lot to dry-clean a suit over there in Japan, and the prime minister had an expensive one."
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2017
She had bought a short white dress at a Goodwill thrift shop and paid twelve dollars to dry-clean it.
From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat
People are often exposed to the chemical through the air when it slowly evaporates from recently dry-cleaned clothes.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2025
"I've never seen anything so thoroughly dry-cleaned of evidence or information as these young teenagers managed to do themselves," said Mr Akunjee, a criminal lawyer with 20 years' experience.
From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2023
After the flight landed, Mr. Mishra agreed to pay for the woman’s belongings to be dry-cleaned, according to a statement issued by his lawyers.
From New York Times ● Jan. 7, 2023
The 57-by-80-inch throw can be dry-cleaned or machine-washed on a wool setting.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 17, 2020
She has in her arms a dry-cleaned white lab coat in a protective plastic film.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
Six in 10 construction-equipment workers and nearly half of laundry and dry-cleaning workers said they used AI for at least one task on the job.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
The Leon Capital Group founder talks about investments in unglamorous businesses, career-defining bets during the financial crisis, and why he still sometimes balks at his dry-cleaning bill.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
Interestingly, higher-income individuals appeared more likely to have detectable PCE in their blood, possibly due to greater use of dry-cleaning services.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2025
Hersh grew up on Chicago’s South Side, the son of Jewish immigrants who ran a dry-cleaning shop.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2025
She would never have understood why he needed more than the money he made selling dry-cleaning equipment.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
