ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dryness

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdɹaɪnəs// UK //dɹˈaɪnəs// dry·ness

n. the state of being very dry. It can describe a lack of water in the air or a lack of moisture in your skin.

n. the state or quality of being dry; a lack of moisture or humidity.


SIMPLE

The dryness of the air made my throat feel sore.

CONTEXTUAL

After spending the entire afternoon in the sun, the skin on her hands began to feel a painful dryness.

COMPLEX

The sudden dryness of the desert climate forced the explorers to ration their water supplies more strictly than they had anticipated.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

Inherited from Middle English dryenesse, drynesse; equivalent to dry + -ness.

© 2026 English Reference