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 of clothe

• dress
• garment
• apparel
• costume
• gown
• attire
• toilet
• garb

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 equipment was put to use in an overnight raid in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, when agents clad in tactical gear rappelled from a Black Hawk helicopter and burst through the windows of an apartment building to pull families from their homes. —Andy Rose 19 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025

The rooms tout a contemporary Southwestern aesthetic, clad in terra-cotta orange with wood floors, while the 1,500-square-foot cottages feature two bedrooms, living rooms, and full kitchens and dining areas. —Matt Kirouac, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025

Hardwood floors harmonize with dark wood furnishings and wicker accents, alongside bathrooms clad in custom Portuguese azulejos-style tiles. —Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025

He was found by a passerby in an alley on Pennsylvania Road, bleeding from the head and only partially clothed. —Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 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