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 of clothing

• clothes
• attire
• garments
• apparel
• dress

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

Silbon, a Spanish-style clothing brand founded in Córdoba, Spain, with a cult following and more than 150 stores across Europe and Mexico, opened its first United States location at Aventura Mall on Thursday. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 4 Dec. 2025

For this look specifically, Turzanska drew from the modularity of Elizabethan clothing, which allowed women to change skirts and sleeves on the same bodice — this one is made of wood bark cloth — creating new looks each time. —Clarissa Cruz, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Dec. 2025

The cuff is linked to a small monitor that can be attached to a belt or an item of clothing. —Craig O. Weber, Verywell Health, 4 Dec. 2025

Humidity is synonymous with sticky summers in the South, where residents survive it with ceiling fans, sweet tea, and breezy clothing. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 4 Dec. 2025

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

Rhymes for clothing

• underclothing

Kids Definition

clothing

noun

cloth·​ing ˈklō-t͟hiŋ 

1

: covering for the human body

2

: something that covers or conceals