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

Investigators recovered numerous pieces of evidence, including pieces of clothing, fired shell casings, DNA swabs and bullet fragments collected from Cherry’s body, according to the report. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026

Jewely and clothing claim a significant portion of the spending in this market, with the average Indian allocating a massive chunk of their lifesavings for this one event. — CNN Money, 30 July 2026

The Scottish and American teams piece together their theory painstakingly over time, poring over clues as small as a torn clothing label and negotiating every single disclosure with their counterparts across borders. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026

The result, broken up into seasons and marked by an impending sense of doom, is a multipart puzzle box as intricately folded and tucked as the traditional clothing on display. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

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