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

Then there's the Chicken Caesar Wrap (Chicken, parmesan, Caesar dressing, mini croutons, lettuce, tomato and mayo tucked into a garlic and herb wrap. —Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025

The last time denim was this big was during the 2000s when brands like True Religion and Joe's Jeans were a favorite among A-listers before athleisure became more popular and transformed casual dressing. —Gabrielle Fonrouge,natalie Rice, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025

Gomez opted for monochrome dressing, wearing a flowing black midi skirt with a coordinated sleeveless top and matching boots. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 1 Dec. 2025

The cap sleeves and high neck are fit for winter dressing, but will look beautiful any time of year. —Julia Fields, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2025

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