clothes

plural noun

ˈklōz 

also

ˈklōt͟hz 

often attributive

1

: clothing

I need new clothes for the winter.

2

: bedclothes

… I have been awake ever since 5 & sooner, I fancy I had too much clothes over my stomach …

—Jane Austen

3

: all the cloth articles of personal and household use that can be washed

I always wash clothes on Mondays.

Synonyms of clothes

• clothing
• attire
• garments
• dress
• apparel

Examples of clothes in a Sentence

put on your warmest clothes—it's freezing outside

Recent Examples on the Web

He was found under a pile of clothes in the basement of the house. — Mike Mavredakis, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2023

As a matter of fact, some of those clothes were my own — my own sweatpants and my own t-shirt. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 Feb. 2023

Copeland, who was hiding in a pile of clothes, shot Michalski in the head. — Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2023

Experts say these are the types of clothes that are fine to wear repeatedly without washing. — Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 3 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English clāthas, plural of clāth — see cloth

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing clothes

• clothes hanger
• clothes moth
• clothes-peg
• clothes press
• not wearing a stitch (of clothes/clothing)
• plain clothes
• street clothes
• swaddling clothes
• swathing clothes

Rhymes for clothes

• bedclothes
• loathes
• oaths
• underclothes

Kids Definition

clothes

plural noun

ˈklō(t͟h)z 

1

: clothing sense 1

2

: bedclothes