dress rehearsal

American  

noun

dress rehearsals plural

1. a rehearsal of a play or other performance in costume and with scenery, properties, and lights arranged and operated as for a performance: often the final rehearsal.

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dress rehearsal British  

noun

1. the last complete rehearsal of a play or other work, using costumes, scenery, lighting, etc, as for the first night

2. any full-scale practice

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dress rehearsals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dress rehearsal

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

He told everyone it was a pleasure to be there as a dress rehearsal for testifying before Congress.

From Salon • Jun. 12, 2026

“They did a whole series of exercises to try and get together a full-scale dress rehearsal of what D-day would be,” Maras says.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

Thirty years later, Steven Spielberg would bring Pakula’s idea to fruition with “The Post,” about Graham’s decision to publish the Pentagon Papers, a dress rehearsal for the even higher stakes of Watergate a year later.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

The Nasa team said they were not going to attempt another so-called "wet dress rehearsal" once the rocket had been rolled out to the launchpad.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

She also got a music school to set up a stage outside, where our band and chorus would hold a winter concert dress rehearsal.

From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan

Related Words

• dry run
• rehearsal