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.
This warm and dry spell was driven by a combination of factors.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
The weather service said conditions are likely to cool early next week but forecast a “temperature whiplash” with another warm and dry spell expected to start on Wednesday.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026
The sluggish IPO pace has contributed to a continued dry spell in venture capital and a backlog of older VC-backed companies that remain in venture portfolios.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025
Big rain and snow could hit California around Christmastime, ending a long dry spell for the state.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2025
After rain fell on September 9, a warm, deadly dry spell followed, lasting over a month.
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
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.
