Dryness

noun

noun ·2 syllables ·Moderate ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A lack of moisture. uncountable

    "Dr. Khorana added that this is especially true of cleansers that feature surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate, as this class of ingredients can cause “dryness, irritation and eczema.”"

  2. 2
    objectivity and detachment wordnet
  3. 3
    The degree to which something is dry. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    moderation in or abstinence from alcohol or other drugs wordnet
  5. 5
    the condition of not containing or being covered by a liquid (especially water) wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
acerbityacescencyacidityacidulousnessappetitearidity

Example

More examples

"Throat and nose membranes hurt by dry air allow cold viruses to enter more easily. It is important to carry out sensible counter plans against the cold with heaters and against the dryness with humidifiers."

Etymology

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

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.