dressing

noun

dress·​ing ˈdre-siŋ 

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)

Synonyms of dressing

• plaster

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

Once the car is clean, wash the wheels and tires one more time with soap and water before applying the tire dressing. — John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs and Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026

Compost made with banana peels can be used as a side dressing or top dressing in the garden, mixed into garden beds, or added to potting mixes to improve soil structure and add nutrients. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 20 June 2026

Ranch dressing is having a moment thanks to the World Cup and Kraft is ready to meet it. — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026

In a post shared to Instagram on June 16, TSA advised newfound fans on the proper way to transport ranch dressing, a quintessential American flavor some soccer fans are experiencing for the first time. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 18 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing dressing

• cross-dressing
• dressing-down
• dressing glass
• dressing gown
• dressing room
• dressing table
• French dressing
• house (salad) dressing
• Italian dressing
• ore dressing
• ranch dressing
• Russian dressing
• salad dressing
• side-dressing
• Thousand Island dressing
• top-dressing
• window dressing

Rhymes for dressing

• blessing
• guessing
• messing
• pressing
• stressing
• accessing
• addressing
• assessing
• caressing
• compressing
• confessing
• depressing

Kids Definition

dressing

noun

dress·​ing ˈdres-iŋ 

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 

: a covering (as of ointment or gauze) applied to a lesion