dress code

noun

: formally or socially imposed standards of dress

Examples of dress code in a Sentence

The school imposed a new dress code that forbids students from wearing jeans.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The evening’s formal dress code will be announced at a later date. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2025 Real fans know the dress code is pink. Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025 Taylor Hill / Getty Images Last month, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute announced its spring exhibition, which typically inspires the dress code for the evening. Renee Anderson, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025 Best winter wedding guest dresses with sleeves For some ceremonies, a dress with sleeves may be part of the dress code. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dress code

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dress code was in 1889

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Cite this Entry

“Dress code.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dress%20code. Accessed 22 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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