Jump to:

• dry wall
  dry wall

  noun

  Also drywall
• dry-wall
  dry-wall

  verb (used with object)

  to construct or renovate with dry wall.

dry wall

¹ American  

noun

Building Trades.

1. Also drywall

   1. an interior wall or partition finished in a dry material, usually in the form of prefabricated sheets or panels nailed to studs, as distinguished from one that is plastered.

   2. a material, as wallboard or plasterboard, used for such a wall.

2. a masonry or stone wall laid up without mortar.

---

dry-wall ² American  

[drahy-wawl] / ˈdraɪˌwɔl /

verb (used with object)

1. to construct or renovate with dry wall.

   to dry-wall the interior of a house.

---

adjective

1. of, relating to, or having dry wall.

Other Word Forms

• drywaller noun

Etymology

Origin of dry wall¹

1770–80, for earlier sense

Origin of dry-wall²

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

Testing done by a professional hygienist allegedly found heavy metals, lead, cyanide and other contaminants, which would require demolition, removal of dry wall and flooring, and other repairs.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2025

This story has been updated to correct that cardboard boxes not dry wall supplies may have been in area where fire started.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 13, 2020

Now it’s all gone, along with the sheet rock and the dry wall, leaving the exposed skeleton of the house’s interior.

From Time • Nov. 9, 2012

He tried going back to work, hanging dry wall, but pain stopped him.

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2011

This had become his uniform since he had decided to take some time off from fixing up houses—stripping floors, dry wall, the whole nine.

From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds