SINCE 1828
don
verb
\ ˈdän
\
\
donned;
donning
Definition of don
(Entry 1 of 4)
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
nounDefinition 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
DON
abbreviationDefinition 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
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Synonyms & Antonyms for don
Synonyms: Verb
put on, slip (on or into), throw (on)
Antonyms: Verb
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Examples of don in a Sentence
Verb
He donned his gloves and hat. she donned her best gown for the ballRecent Examples on the Web: Verb
That’s because Kate donned the headpiece last year at Prince Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding. — Alexis Reliford, refinery29.com, "The Royals Are Going All Out To Quash That Meghan & Kate Feud Rumor," 9 June 2019 Some also showed up donned in unique ‘fits for the event, and photo worthy faces with a full beat. — Shalwah Evans, Essence, "The Best Of Beauty From The 2019 Tony Awards," 9 June 2019 Lead vocalist Florence Welch emerged on stage wearing a flowing white dress while fans, some donning rainbow hearts or flags and sparkling face paint, cheered excitedly. — Patrick Connolly, orlandosentinel.com, "Pictures: Florence and the Machine performs at Amway Center," 7 June 2019 Chip, 44, was in full school spirit, donning a Harvard University sweater in several photos. — Eric Todisco, PEOPLE.com, "Joanna Gaines Confesses Surprising Celebrity Crush She Revealed to Chip When They Were Dating," 7 June 2019 Detectives could be seen Tuesday donning full protective gear to conduct a search of garbage picked up from the Albany Avenue area on the day that Jennifer Dulos disappeared. — Dave Altimari, courant.com, "Police return to Hartford trash facility to search for clues in Jennifer Dulos’ disappearance. Judge takes no action on custody of her five children," 5 June 2019 Trump and Charles wore tuxes, while Melania opted for a red cape dress, and Camilla donned a sparkling white gown. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Prince Charles and Camilla Join Donald and Melania Trump for Dinner at the U.S. Ambassador's Residence," 4 June 2019 Some people wear their products, some dress in business professional clothing, and others even don a costume! — Jennifer Aldrich, Country Living, "Here's What It's Really Like to Audition for 'Shark Tank'," 26 May 2019 Lawrence and Maroney were photographed arriving at the event, for which the bride-to-be had donned a long-sleeve gown with a plunging neckline. — Glamour, "Jennifer Lawrence Wore the Most Stunning Wedding Dress to Her Bridal Shower—and You Can Actually Shop It," 13 May 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
This Boba Fett dons sculpted Mandalorian armor, a rangefinder, flight suit and vest with body plate armor, knee pads, and wrist gauntlets. — Maude Campbell, Popular Mechanics, "The Best Star Wars Toys for Any Aspiring Jedi," 27 Mar. 2019 Insiders will recognize real-world touches: the bookish spectacles one defendant dons for court, the feral dogs that roam gang neighborhoods, the civilian police employee who passes tips to her gang-member nephew. — Jill Leovy, New York Times, "The Killers of the ‘Sex Money Murder’ Gang and the Cops Who Went After Them," 1 June 2018 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 2018These 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.
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More Definitions for don
don
verb
English Language Learners Definition of don
(Entry 1 of 2)
formal + old-fashioned
: to put on (a piece of clothing)
don
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of don (Entry 2 of 2)
British
: a teacher in a college or university
especially
: a teacher at Oxford or Cambridge University
informal
: a powerful Mafia leader
See the full definition for don in the English Language Learners Dictionary
don
verb
\ ˈdän
\
\
donned;
donning
Kids Definition of don
: to put on
don a cap
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