dressing

noun

dress·​ing ˈdre-siŋ How to pronounce dressing (audio)
Synonyms of dressingnext
1
a
: the act or process of one who dresses
b
: an instance of such act or process
2
a
: a sauce for adding to a dish (such as a salad)
b
: a seasoned mixture usually used as a stuffing (as for poultry)
3
a
: material (such as ointment or gauze) applied to cover a lesion or wound
b
: fertilizing material (such as manure or compost)

Examples of dressing in a Sentence

We had turkey with dressing and potatoes for dinner. The nurse cleaned the cut and applied a dressing.
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.
Simply, adding a pop of color to showcase Knickerbocker pride sets the benchmark of sports dressing. Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026 Make your dressing directly in the salad bowl because one less dish is one less thing to clean up. Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 13 June 2026 The color scheme for Thursday’s event included the bluish green tones present in Union’s sartorial statement, creating a cohesive, slightly method dressing, take for the event. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 12 June 2026 Using a vegetable peeler, shave a modest amount of Parmesan onto a plate (a mound of grated Parmesan may look impressive, but all that clumpy cheese mutes the dressing). Sue Li, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dressing

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dressing was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dressing. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

dressing

noun
dress·​ing ˈdres-iŋ How to pronounce dressing (audio)
1
a
: the act or process of one that dresses
b
: an instance of dressing
2
a
: a sauce for adding to a dish
b
: a seasoned mixture used as a stuffing (as for poultry) or baked and served separately
3
a
: material (as ointment or gauze) used to cover an injury
b
: fertilizing material (as manure or compost)

Medical Definition

dressing

noun
dress·​ing -iŋ How to pronounce dressing (audio)
: a covering (as of ointment or gauze) applied to a lesion

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