dress rehearsal

American  

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of dress rehearsal

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

“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

Luckily, her voice sounded fine during Friday's dress rehearsal; and the singer gave us an insight into the lyrics behind her song, My System, which literally talks about catching an infection… of emotion.

From BBC • May 15, 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 mishaps during a run-through that the US space agency calls a "wet dress rehearsal" dashed hopes that the mission around the Moon could launch as soon as Sunday.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

I took a saucer from the cabinet and returned to the living room as Margaret was saying, “Actually, Vivian, this is a very good time. Think of it as a dress rehearsal for the lawyers.”

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

Related Words

• dry run
• rehearsal