dry-cleaned; dry-cleaning; dry-cleans

transitive verb

: to subject to dry cleaning

intransitive verb

: to undergo dry cleaning
dry-cleanable adjective

Examples of dry-clean 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.
And what’s the deal with the dry-cleaning king of Brooklyn? Tom Smyth, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024 The actual dry-cleaning process takes about one to one and one-half hours. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2024 Among the items are 50 rare tapes including master recordings with unheard tracks, as well as personal paperwork such as payslips for him and his bandmates, a handwritten form in which Hendrix requests his birth certificate, dry-cleaning bills and tour itineraries. Amarachi Orie, CNN, 13 Oct. 2024 Multiple sources contaminated the wells, including waste from a nearby dry-cleaning facility and leaks from underground storage tanks on base, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Melissa Chan, NBC News, 5 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dry-clean 

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of dry-clean was in 1817

Dictionary Entries Near dry-clean

Cite this Entry

“Dry-clean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry-clean. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

dry-clean

verb
ˈdrī-ˌklēn
: to clean (fabrics) with chemical solvents
dry-cleanable
-ˈklē-nə-bəl
adjective
dry cleaner noun
dry cleaning noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dry-clean

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!