air-dry

American  

[air-drahy] / ˈɛərˌdraɪ /

verb (used with or without object)

air-dried, air-drying

1. to dry by exposure to the air.

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adjective

1. dry beyond further evaporation.

air-dry British  

verb

1. (tr) to dry by exposure to the air

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Etymology

Origin of air-dry

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

And that unopened brick of air-dry clay that’s taunting you?

From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026

After as much as a week of hands-on building time, he lets the work air-dry for maybe another week before it is ready to be fired.

From Seattle Times • May 8, 2024

I cut the cheese and and bolillos into strips, and let them air-dry for a couple of days, like Mami used to do.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2022

Let the sieve air-dry on the counter for best results, since a towel probably won't be able to get to all the water in the small holes of your sieve.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2022

Alaskan hunters know that the easiest way to preserve meat in the bush is to slice it into thin strips and then air-dry it on a makeshift rack.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer