dry spell
Americannoun
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a prolonged period of dry weather.
-
a period of little or no productivity or activity, low income, etc.
Etymology
Origin of dry spell
First recorded in 1885–90
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.
But Italy has suffered through a dry spell more recently.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
Florida is in the midst of its worst drought in 25 years, but the dry spell actually ranked far down on the list of challenges these bedraggled growers were facing.
From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026
Big rain and snow could hit California around Christmastime, ending a long dry spell for the state.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2025
By winning it for McLaren, he also ended a 17-year dry spell for one of the sport’s most storied teams.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025
They knew they could survive because the Dinka have weathered many a dry spell.
From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau
Definitions 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.
