clothing

noun

cloth·​ing ˈklō-t͟hiŋ 

: items (as of cloth) designed to be worn to cover the body

The children and their teachers strolled up the path, the colors of their winter clothing bright against the monotone of the field.

—Ward Just

… radiating vibrance through her bright clothing and makeup.

—Hannah Jones

also : coverings

… seeks to regulate and adopt flammability standards to upholstered furniture, mattresses, bed clothing and candles.

—Home Textiles Today

Synonyms

• apparel
• attire
• clobber [British slang]
• clothes
• costumery
• dress
• duds
• garments
• gear
• habiliment(s)
• habit [archaic]
• rags
• raiment
• rig
• rigging
• threads
• toggery
• togs
• vestiary
• vestments
• vesture
• wear
• wearables
• weeds

Examples of clothing in a Sentence

an expensive article of clothing

We're collecting food and clothing for the poor.

Only people wearing protective clothing may enter the room.

Recent Examples on the Web

Trending on Billboard Announced last month, Puma’s partnership with Rosé centers around the clothing brand’s catalog of silhouettes, and sees the pop star introduce its classic kit to a new generation. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 18 July 2024

Altogether, these four packing cubes can hold up to 110.2 pounds of clothing. —Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 17 July 2024

In addition to clothing and beauty, there are more than 300 home items marked down for a limited time. —Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2024

Clothes Back-to-school is right around the corner, so Amazon typically offers discounts of 50% or more on clothing. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 16 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing clothing

• nonrestrictive clothing
• not wearing a stitch (of clothes/clothing)
• wolf in sheep's clothing

Kids Definition

clothing

noun

cloth·​ing ˈklō-t͟hiŋ 

1

: covering for the human body

2

: something that covers or conceals