dry spell
Americannoun
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a prolonged period of dry weather.
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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.
Motoring experts warn that wet weather after a prolonged dry spell can cause dangerous driving conditions.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
At Real, a two-year dry spell constitutes a full-blown crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
Like many European countries, the Netherlands has been hit by a historic summer drought caused by a prolonged dry spell, exceptional heat and intense evaporation.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
The region remains locked in a multi-year dry spell.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2026
In a Connecticut summer two weeks without rain is a dry spell and four a drought.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
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.
