bone-dry

adjective

ˈbōn-ˈdrī How to pronounce bone-dry (audio)
Synonyms of bone-drynext
1
: very dry
2
: dry sense 5

Examples of bone-dry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The nose suggested white florals, but the wine was bone-dry, with structured tannins and a yeasty note. — Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026 This tongue-in-cheek intro is indicative of the longtime comedian’s bone-dry brand of humor. — Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2026 Chin-Hong compared the country to a bone-dry forest that’s vulnerable to wildfires. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026 Its dual mops spin at 200 rpm to remove stains, while its 10mm auto-lift feature keeps your carpets bone-dry while the hard floors get a scrub. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bone-dry

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bone-dry was in the 15th century

Rhymes for bone-dry

See All Rhymes for bone-dry

Browse Nearby Words

bone-deep
bone-dry
bone dust
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bone-dry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bone-dry. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on bone-dry

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bone-dry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All