arid

adjective

ˈa-rəd How to pronounce arid (audio)
Definition of aridnext
1
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest an arid speech about duty and responsibility

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dry
marked by little or no precipitation or humidity arid wastelands unfit for human habitation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of arid But, because the vast majority of our planet is covered in water and non-arid land, they are rarely observed by human eyes. — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026 Another benefit is experiencing the shift from western Washington’s lush forests to the semi-arid steppe of Naches in the east. — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 10 Aug. 2026 This year, Europe has been sweltering under an exceptionally hot and arid summer, with tinderbox conditions setting off unprecedented fires that have forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate homes and vacation spots. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 Furthermore, developers routinely ignore local water shortages to build water-intensive cooling systems in arid regions. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for arid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arid
  1. boring
  2. dry
  3. tiring
  4. thirsty
  5. dusty
  6. desert
  7. slow
  8. waterless
Adjective
  • Despite its tranquil reputation, knitting is anything but boring.
    — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026
  • On the North Side, a site is being prepped for the digging of an access tunnel 70 feet in diameter into which a giant boring machine will begin tunneling 15 miles under and along our three rivers.
    — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • Recently, the sector has been affected by El Nino, which brings weak monsoons and dry weather, reducing yields and sucrose recovery.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • My complexion tends to be dry in some areas and oily in others, so striking the balance between glow and grease can be tricky.
    — Lucy Partington, Glamour, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of dry
Adjective
  • The repetition can grow tiring, but that frustration is precisely the point.
    — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Even on a long, tiring shoot, the cast mostly still finds the energy to celebrate each other.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of tiring
Adjective
  • The former is defined by a lack of oils, where your skin barrier is thirsty for fats that make skin feel hydrated, bouncy, and happy.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Attendance grew with each subsequent show, and eventually nearly 200 people thirsty for jazz consistently showed up to her tattoo studio for music.
    — Mary Carreon, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of thirsty
Adjective
  • Most mega-bestsellers of eras past are forgotten, and even the award winners that make their way into academic syllabi fade into dusty bibliography.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
  • This promo includes the very plush Russell storage bed in a bewitching dusty lilac velvet.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of dusty
Adjective
  • The damage was clearest in wealthier, non-desert regions due to rapid land conversion.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The terrain is mountainous, a mix of desert and semi-desert plains.
    — Ope Adetayo, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
Definition of desert
Adjective
  • The slow rate at which this is occurring indicates this cosmic vampirism will last for hundreds of thousands to billions of years.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The problem is that these systems are slow, expensive and don’t scale.
    — Reynald Fasciaux, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • While urban areas like Los Angeles are under mandatory drought restrictions to reduce strain on state reservoirs, many rural residents reliant on groundwater wells are waterless.
    — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, 27 Nov. 2022
  • Other eco-friendly measures include a solid waste incinerator to turn waste into non-toxic ash and a waterless urinal to reduce unnecessary usage.
    — Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 22 Aug. 2022
Definition of waterless

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Cite this Entry

“Arid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arid. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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