dry run
Americannoun
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a rehearsal or practice exercise.
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Military. practice in firing arms without using live ammunition.
noun
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military practice in weapon firing, a drill, or a manoeuvre without using live ammunition
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informal a trial or practice, esp in simulated conditions; rehearsal
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dry run
An Americanism dating back to 1940–45
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.
The test involves a four-astronaut flyby of the moon as a dry run for a moon landing, perhaps in 2028.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026
"They've had a dry run and made it work, they know the pairings," said Europe's first Ryder Cup-winning captain Jacklin.
From BBC • Sep. 24, 2025
This isn’t necessary for everyone, but if a child is worried about how they’ll get to campus or where to find a bathroom, a dry run may allay their concerns.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 9, 2024
The PGA Awards are often considered a dry run for the Oscars’ best picture race since the guild shares significant member overlap with the academy and uses the same preferential ballot to pick its winner.
From New York Times • Feb. 26, 2024
Even those who were years removed from their own day of glorious release were anxious to help with preparations as a kind of dry run.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
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.
