tumble dryer

British

noun

Also called: tumbler dryer. tumbler. a machine that dries wet laundry by rotating it in warmed air inside a metal drum

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

During the winter months where more people dry their clothes indoors, a dehumidifier can help save on the cost of using a tumble dryer, while helping to prevent damp and mould.

From BBC • Jan. 3, 2026

Dry clothes outdoors if you can, rather than using a tumble dryer, or hang clothes indoors but ventilate well or use a dehumidifier to avoid damp.

From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025

Watching the game for Sky Sports, former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp could only sympathise: "When you get in that position it's like your head is in a tumble dryer."

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2025

He added that as there were three different types of tumble dryer, it was essential to follow the maintenance regime as often machines had two lint filters that need cleaning out.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2024

But if they were accidents, then it was like putting a jigsaw puzzle into a tumble dryer and having it come out with all the pieces in the right place.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023