Definition

Verb: - To dry laundry or fabrics by placing them in a rotating drum (a tumble dryer) where hot air circulates around them. This is a mechanical drying process, distinct from air-drying.

Usage

The verb "tumble dry" is typically used in the infinitive form on clothing care labels or in instructions. It is often seen in the passive voice ("to be tumbled dry") or with a modal verb ("can/cannot tumble dry").

Examples

• Active voice (less common):
  • I will tumble dry the towels so they are ready for the guests.
• Passive voice (common):
  • This sweater can be tumbled dry on a low heat setting.
  • The instructions clearly state that the garment should not be tumbled dry.

Advanced Usage

• "Tumble dry low": An instruction to use a low heat setting in the dryer.
  • For this synthetic fabric, it's best to tumble dry low.
• "Tumble dry no heat" / "Air fluff": An instruction to use only the rotation of the dryer without heat, often to fluff pillows or remove dust.
  • You can tumble dry the down jacket with no heat to restore its loft.

Variants and Related Words

• Tumble dryer (noun, British English): The appliance used to tumble dry clothes. (American English: or ).
  • We need to repair the tumble dryer.
• Tumble-dried (adjective): Describes something that has been dried in this way.
  • Tumble-dried clothes often feel softer than air-dried ones.

Synonyms

• Machine-dry: A more general synonym, though it specifically implies using a tumble dryer.
  • You can machine-dry these cotton sheets.

Antonyms

• Air-dry: To dry by hanging or laying flat in the air, without mechanical heat.
  • You should air-dry this wool blanket to prevent shrinking.
• Line-dry: To dry by hanging on a clothesline.
  • I prefer to line-dry my laundry in the sun.

Related Phrases

• "Do not tumble dry": A standard warning on care labels for items that may shrink, melt, or be damaged by the heat and tumbling action.
  • The tag says "do not tumble dry," so I'll hang it up instead.

Verb

1. dry by spinning with hot air inside a cylinder
   • These fabrics are delicate and cannot be tumbled dry