dressing

noun

dress·​ing ˈdre-siŋ 

1

a

: the act or process of one who dresses

b

: an instance of such act or process

2

a

: a sauce for adding to a dish (such as a salad)

b

: a seasoned mixture usually used as a stuffing (as for poultry)

3

a

: material (such as ointment or gauze) applied to cover a lesion or wound

b

: fertilizing material (such as manure or compost)

Synonyms

• plaster

Examples of dressing in a Sentence

We had turkey with dressing and potatoes for dinner.

The nurse cleaned the cut and applied a dressing.

Recent Examples on the Web

The restaurant will also offer only-in-Miami items like corvina with artichokes and a spicy broth; Alaskan King crab with leaves and Nikkei-style dressing and black tiger prawns with semolina and coconut bisque. —Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025

Each burger is served with fries or tots and includes unlimited access to Ruby Tuesday's Garden Bar, which features fresh greens, vegetables and premium toppings and dressings. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025

Bad salad kits have sloppy cuts of vegetables, meager toppings and oily or single-note dressings that are either too salty or just plain bland. —Jolene Thym, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025

Elle Fanning elevated double denim dressing while attending the Coach spring 2026 ready-to-wear collection during New York Fashion Week on Monday. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing dressing

• cross-dressing
• dressing-down
• dressing glass
• dressing gown
• dressing room
• dressing table
• French dressing
• house (salad) dressing
• Italian dressing
• ore dressing
• ranch dressing
• Russian dressing
• salad dressing
• side dressing
• Thousand Island dressing
• top dressing
• window dressing

Rhymes for dressing

• blessing
• guessing
• messing
• pressing
• stressing
• accessing
• addressing
• assessing
• caressing
• compressing
• confessing
• depressing

Kids Definition

dressing

noun

dress·​ing ˈdres-iŋ 

1

a

: the act or process of one that dresses

b

: an instance of dressing

2

a

: a sauce for adding to a dish

b

: a seasoned mixture used as a stuffing (as for poultry) or baked and served separately

3

a

: material (as ointment or gauze) used to cover an injury

b

: fertilizing material (as manure or compost)

Medical Definition

dressing

noun

dress·​ing -iŋ 

: a covering (as of ointment or gauze) applied to a lesion