How to pronounce dry
Say it like DRY. Dry is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce dry. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DRY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dry pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DRYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of dry
American and British speakers say dry in essentially the same way: /draɪ/ in the US and /draɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: DRY.
What does dry mean?
- remove the moisture from and make dry“dry clothes”“dry hair”
- become dry or drier“The laundry dries in the sun”
- free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet“dry land”“dry clothes”
- humorously sarcastic or mocking“dry humor”“an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely”
- lacking moisture or volatile components“dry paint”
- a reformer who opposes the use of intoxicating beverages
Where does dry come from?
Cognate with Scots dry, drey (“dry”), North Frisian drüg, driig, Saterland Frisian druuch (“dry”), West Frisian droech (“dry”), Dutch droog (“dry”), Low German dröög (“dry”), German dröge (“dull”), Icelandic draugur (“a dry log”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with dry
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of dry.
Questions about saying dry
How do you pronounce dry?
Say DRY. The American pronunciation is /draɪ/. In British English it is /draɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dry?
Dry is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: DRY.
Do Americans and Brits say dry the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /draɪ/ and the British form is /draɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.