clothe

verb

ˈklōt͟h 

clothed or clad ˈklad  ; clothing

transitive verb

1

a

: to cover with or as if with cloth or clothing : dress

b

: to provide with clothes

the cost of feeding and clothing a family

2

: to express or enhance by suitably significant language : couch

treaties clothed in stately phraseology

3

: to endow especially with power or a quality

the nobility in which religion and history can clothe humanity

—D. R. Wallace

Synonyms

• apparel
• array
• attire
• bedeck
• caparison
• costume
• deck (out)
• do up
• dress
• dress up
• enrobe
• garb
• garment
• get up
• gown
• habit
• invest
• rig (out)
• robe
• suit
• tog (up or out)
• toilet
• vesture

Examples of clothe in a Sentence

the cost of feeding and clothing your children

they liked to clothe the twins in identical outfits just to confuse people

Recent Examples on the Web

The attackers — both clad in black and wearing blue surgical masks — sped off in a gray Nissan sedan with West Virginia tags. —Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2025

The alleged assassin, clad in khaki prison garb, entered the plea in federal court in New York on Friday, April 25. —Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025

The number of hits, clothed or not, or using an implement, all reflect geographical or familial differences in understanding what a spanking is. —Christina Erickson, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025

Inside, each villa houses a trio of snug lounge areas, and a bedroom adjoined by an indoor-outdoor bathroom clad in creamy marble. —Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English clāthian, from clāth

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for clothe

• loathe

Kids Definition

clothe

verb

ˈklōt͟h 

clothed or clad ˈklad  ; clothing

1

a

: to cover with or as if with clothing : dress

b

: to provide with clothes

2

: to express in a certain way

clothe your thoughts clearly