don

verb

\ ˈdän

donned; donning

Definition of don

(Entry 1 of 4)

transitive verb

1 : to put on (an article of clothing) donned his hat and gloves

2 : to wrap oneself in : take on sense 3a the donning of new and more tyrannous moralities— Edward Sapir

don

noun

\ ˈdän

Definition of don (Entry 2 of 4)

1 : a head (see head entry 1 sense 6a), tutor, or fellow (see fellow sense 5) in a college of Oxford or Cambridge University she didn't want to be a don's wife and live in Oxford forever— Virginia Woolf broadly : a college or university professor

2 [ Italian, title of respect, from donno, literally, lord, from Latin dominus ] : a powerful Mafia leader

3 : a Spanish nobleman or gentleman —used as a title prefixed to the Christian name

4 archaic : a person of consequence : grandee the great dons of wit— John Dryden

DON

abbreviation

Definition of DON (Entry 3 of 4)

director of nursing

Don

geographical name

\ ˈdän

Definition of Don (Entry 4 of 4)

river 1224 miles (1969 kilometers) long in Russia in Europe flowing southeast and then southwest into the Sea of Azov

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about don

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Synonyms & Antonyms for don

Synonyms: Verb

put on, slip (on or into), throw (on)

Antonyms: Verb

doff, remove, take off

Examples of don in a Sentence

Verb

He donned his gloves and hat. she donned her best gown for the ball

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

What to Do Explore Harrison's Cave Located dead center on the island, this limestone cave features deep pools, stunning waterfalls, and a tram so visitors can don a hard hat and roll along on a one-tour tour. — Kaitlin Menza, Town & Country, "The Best Things to Do, Eat, and See in Barbados," 15 Nov. 2018 Dressed some days in a beige suit or light blue seersucker, Woodard always dons his signature straw boater hat, encircled with a navy and red ribbon. — Ian Shapira, Washington Post, "He once defended the poor in court. Now he defends white supremacists.," 2 July 2018 Kate Middleton wore her traditional Alexander McQueen, and both women donned ornate hats. — Morgan M. Evans, Fox News, "Meghan Markle attends annual Trooping the Colour parade, makes Buckingham Palace balcony debut," 9 June 2018 James and Horford embraced after the buzzer, then the Cavaliers donned NBA Finals hats and Eastern conference championship shirts before shuffling off the court to receive their trophy. — Bloomberg.com, "LeBron's 35 Help Cavs Beat Celtics 87-79, Reach NBA Finals," 28 May 2018 On April 25, 2018, Kanye West donned a MAGA hat and professed his feelings of kinship with Donald Trump. — Kenzie Bryant, Vanities, "An Incomplete History of Kanye West’s Political Views," 26 Apr. 2018 The Duchess of Cambridge, joined by Prince William, visited the Evelina Children’s Hospital ahead of the holidays and donned a festive dress in a familiar silhouette. — Edward Barsamian, Vogue, "Kate Middleton Finds a Fun Alternative to Winter Florals," 11 Dec. 2018 In it, Elizabeth dons a soft blue dress, her signature pearls, and a brooch with the Astral Crown and crossed Lee Enfield rifles on it (which was presented to her by the RAF Regiment). — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "Queen Elizabeth II's Outfit in Her New Portrait Has a Hidden Meaning," 3 Dec. 2018 That’s because senior citizens are taking his place-donning polyester, flipping patties and taking orders. — Leslie Patton, The Seattle Times, "Senior citizens are replacing teenagers as fast-food workers," 13 Nov. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Cuadrado is more interested in Ronaldo's abilities than what shirt number dons either player's back. — Afp, chicagotribune.com, "Cuadrado: 'no problem' giving up number 7 jersey to Ronaldo," 12 July 2018 In the outside world, kids their age don caps and gowns, celebrate sweet 16s and quinceañeras. — Joy Resmovits, latimes.com, "What prom looks like in juvenile detention: contraband hairpins have to be returned at the end of the night," 21 June 2018 RealBooksYouCanHoldAndSmell Written by don Miguel Ruiz, the tome describes self-limiting beliefs, and how readers can use the Four Agreements—each based on Toltec Wisdom—to eliminate suffering and self-doubt and experience true happiness. — Megan Stein, Country Living, "Kelly Clarkson Can't Stop Reading This Book and We Can See Why," 7 Aug. 2018 The same theory could be applied to plenty of future items that Markle dons, or even past items that have since sold out. — Rachel King, Fortune, "Meghan Markle Is Being Credited With Boosting Aritzia's Earnings. But Is the 'Meghan Effect' Real?," 13 July 2018 Light appetites find a mini don here with tuna and/or salmon on rice. — Liz Biro, Indianapolis Star, "Here's where to get a poké bowl in Indianapolis, including 5 new restaurants," 31 May 2018 The trial of the octogenarian Mafia don is a reminder of how much Boston and its criminal underworld have changed. — Shelley Murphy, BostonGlobe.com, "Mafia murder trial occurring now in Boston highlights how much city’s underworld has changed," 29 May 2018 Like the iconic arctic fox, the snowshoe hare dons white fur for the winter—a good camouflage in the snow. — Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, "How the snowshoe hare is losing its white winter coat," 21 June 2018 Nefarious politicians, crime dons, illicit arms dealers and femmes fatales with dresses cut up to here populate scene after scene, set amid the Gulf’s glittering nightclubs, luxury hotels and wide-open desert highways. — Lisa Tsering, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Race 3': Film Review," 18 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'don.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.