dry-dock

1 of 2

verb

dry-docked; dry-docking; dry-docks

transitive verb

: to place in a dry dock

dry dock

2 of 2

noun

: a dock that can be kept dry for use during the construction or repairing of ships

Examples of dry-dock in a Sentence

Noun The dry dock is full. The ship is in dry dock.
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.
Verb
The yacht is believed to be dry-docked at a metro Detroit marina. Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 24 June 2024 More recently, in October 2023, the Carnival Freedom debuted a new iconic winged funnel after returning from a 16-day dry-dock refurbishment in Cadiz, Spain. Dave Berman, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
Noun
Cruise cancellations are relatively unusual but can happen for a number of other reasons, including when a ship is chartered or needs to go to dry dock. Nathan Diller, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025 The dry dock where the ship had been getting assembled was filled with water from the Ems River. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dry-dock

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1854, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1626, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dry-dock was in 1626

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Dry-dock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry-dock. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

dry dock

noun
ˈdrī-ˌdäk
: a dock that can be kept dry during the construction or repair of ships
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