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

Craig Cutright, clad in khakis and a light gray blazer, sat behind Machado. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026

Cruz showed off her perfectly tousled hair in a waist-up shot that saw her crossing her arms, clad in a white T-shirt. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 3 July 2026

The exterior is clad in horizontal lap siding and topped by a black standing-seam metal roof. — Adam Williams july 01, New Atlas, 1 July 2026

And for the jersey-clad among them, leaving the country on the heels of their favorite teams’ World Cup exits, what that suitcase beholds is worth stopping for. — Noah White, Washington Post, 30 June 2026

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