: a sleeve very wide at the armhole and tight at the wrist often cut in one piece with the bodice
Examples of dolman sleeve in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The collar gives it an elevated look beyond a plain T-shirt, and the dolman sleeves give a relaxed, flowy look without being shapeless.
—
Robin Raven, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
Both the Zipneck and Crew have interestingly dropped shoulder seams and almost a dolman sleeve underarm that adds style and crossover versatility.
—Lisa Jhung, Outside, 21 Jan. 2026
It’s finished with a crew neckline and three-quarter-length dolman sleeves.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
Of course, Lopez recently embraced the dolman sleeve in its most dramatic, drapey form back in December while promoting her film Unstoppable.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
It’s finished with short dolman sleeves and a longer silhouette that hits right at the thighs on most people.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 25 July 2025
Available in over 30 colors, the set has a flattering dolman sleeve top and a drawstring waistband on the pants.
—Laura Lu, Parents, 23 Feb. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Robin Raven, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
Both the Zipneck and Crew have interestingly dropped shoulder seams and almost a dolman sleeve underarm that adds style and crossover versatility.
—Lisa Jhung, Outside, 21 Jan. 2026
It’s finished with a crew neckline and three-quarter-length dolman sleeves.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
Of course, Lopez recently embraced the dolman sleeve in its most dramatic, drapey form back in December while promoting her film Unstoppable.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
It’s finished with short dolman sleeves and a longer silhouette that hits right at the thighs on most people.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 25 July 2025
Available in over 30 colors, the set has a flattering dolman sleeve top and a drawstring waistband on the pants.
—Laura Lu, Parents, 23 Feb. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Dolman sleeve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dolman%20sleeve. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dolman sleeve
noun
dol·man sleeve
ˌdōl-mən- 
ˌdȯl-,
ˌdäl-
: a sleeve that is very wide at the armhole and tight at the wrist
Etymology
from French dolman "a woman's coat with dolman sleeves," derived from Turkish dolama "a robe (in the Turkish style)"
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
