Illustrative Context

Is it dry or wet?

Target Sense

• The most generic adjective as an antonym of wet.
• Avoid terms specific to only an outer surface: the lexeme selected should be a generic one that can also refer to lack of water or moisture throughout a material.
• A neutral term, without judgement or connotations of dryness as positive or negative (e.g. arid) in any given case.
• Avoid intensifying terms for extremely or excessively dry, e.g. parched.
• Avoid terms specific to dry earth or land, e.g. arid.
• Avoid any other more specialised terms, e.g. desiccated.
• Avoid terms that specifically indicate a change of state, e.g. dried (up), dried out, desiccated.
• Avoid terms specific to figurative uses, e.g. dry of humour, drinks, etc..