fashion

noun

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fash·ion | \ ˈfa-shən

Definition of fashion

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a(1) : the prevailing style (as in dress) during a particular time The spring fashions are now on display.

(2) : a garment in such a style always wears the latest fashions

b : a prevailing custom, usage, or style Literary fashions have changed in recent years.

c : social standing or prominence especially as signalized by dress or conduct men and women of fashion

2a : mode of action or operation assembled in an orderly fashion not even changing fashions in warfare have diminished the island's strategic importance— Franc Shor

b : a distinctive or peculiar and often habitual manner or way he will, after his sour fashion, tell you— William Shakespeare

3a : the make or form of something A lamp in the fashion of a silver dove was hung from an almost invisible golden wire in the centre of the room.— Arthur Conan Doyle

b archaic : kind, sort

after a fashion

: in an approximate or rough way became an artist after a fashion

fashion

verb

fashioned; fashioning\ ˈfash-niŋ

, ˈfa-shᵊn-iŋ \; fashions

Definition of fashion (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to give shape or form to : to make, construct, or create (something) usually with careful attention or by the use of imagination and ingenuity fashion a lamp from an old churn a figure fashioned from clay … delegating to the commander-in-chief the power to fashion the rules of the military justice system …— Fred Strasser Up there in the mountains old ladies … are still hooking rugs … and fashioning dainty dolls out of corn shucks.— Richard Atcheson

2 : to design or devise for a particular use or purpose … were the vessels fashioned for royalty distinguished from objects intended for nonroyal consumers? — Asian Art

3 obsolete : contrive

Other Words from fashion Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about fashion

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Choose the Right Synonym for fashion

Noun

fashion, style, mode, vogue, fad, rage, craze mean the usage accepted by those who want to be up-to-date. fashion is the most general term and applies to any way of dressing, behaving, writing, or performing that is favored at any one time or place. the current fashion style often implies a distinctive fashion adopted by people of taste. a media baron used to traveling in style mode suggests the fashion of the moment among those anxious to appear elegant and sophisticated. slim bodies are the mode at this resort vogue stresses the wide acceptance of a fashion. short skirts are back in vogue fad suggests caprice in taking up or in dropping a fashion. last year's fad is over rage and craze stress intense enthusiasm in adopting a fad. Cajun food was the rage nearly everywhere for a time crossword puzzles once seemed just a passing craze but have lasted

synonyms see in addition method

Examples of fashion in a Sentence

Noun Jewelry and clothing fashions vary with the season. Short skirts have come back into fashion. Those ruffled blouses went out of fashion years ago. She always wears the latest fashions. Literary fashions have changed in recent years. We started the meeting in an orderly fashion. We all lined up in orderly fashion. Verb Students fashioned the clay into small figures. She used the scraps of fabric to fashion a little doll's dress. a table fashioned out of an old door

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun As her longtime best friend Tess (Hayley Law) watches from the sidelines, a romance unfolds in familiar YA-toolkit fashion. — Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, "‘Spontaneous’ review: When 'Heathers’ met 'Scanners,’ with a side order of ‘Fault in Our Stars’," 6 Oct. 2020 Beyond lyrics, the video is also filled with awesome visuals that are in true Blackpink fashion. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "Blackpink Just Dropped Their Music Video for "Lovesick Girls" and It's a Must Watch," 2 Oct. 2020 In true democratic Savage X Fenty fashion, the Fall collection that just streamed before your eyes is available right this second on Amazon. — Emily Ruane, refinery29.com, "The Savage X Fenty Fall Collection Just Launched on Amazon," 2 Oct. 2020 Overall, the economy is still recouping jobs in outsize fashion after shedding a record 22.1 million in early spring but the recovery is slowing, raising the specter of a gap that could take several years to close. — Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, "661,000 jobs added last month, unemployment fell to 7.9% as some states reopen, others face COVID-19 surges," 2 Oct. 2020 And in fiery Foyt fashion, Dixon’s not about to leave anything to chance. — Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, "With Josef Newgarden lurking, Scott Dixon holds comfortable championship lead with 3 races left," 2 Oct. 2020 The collection features rugs for every room in your home, and in true Jenni Kayne fashion, the rugs are casual yet luxurious, made with natural textures and colors. — Sunset Magazine, "ICYMI: Jenni Kayne and Lulu & Georgia Are Making Rugs Together," 1 Oct. 2020 The event was originally expected to be surrounded by greater fanfare in usual royal wedding fashion but was delayed and downsized due to the pandemic. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "There Was a Secret Royal Wedding Last Weekend," 1 Oct. 2020 Minaj announced her pregnancy in July 2020 with a series of extravagant photos in her classic Barbie fashion. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, "Nicki Minaj Has Reportedly Given Birth to Her First Child," 1 Oct. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The current designer and artistic director, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, unveiled Kenzo’s spring-summer 2020 to fashion editors on Wednesday. — Thomas Adamson, USA TODAY, "Kenzo Takada, iconic Franco-Japanese fashion designer, dies from COVID-19 at age 81," 4 Oct. 2020 The current designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista unveiled Kenzo's spring-summer 2020 to fashion editors on Wednesday. — Thomas Adamson, Star Tribune, "Fashion designer Kenzo Takada dies from COVID-19 at age 81," 4 Oct. 2020 The current designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista unveiled Kenzo’s spring-summer 2020 to fashion editors on Wednesday. — NBC News, "Iconic fashion designer Kenzo Takada dies from Covid-19 at age 81," 4 Oct. 2020 But the chaos Trump unleashed on the debate stage in Cleveland Tuesday similarly tempts authorities to fashion a solution that would keep such a debacle from happening again. — Editorial Board Star Tribune, Star Tribune, "Rules won't fix what's wrong with debates," 1 Oct. 2020 Flaws in Gruden’s team were fairly obvious entering the game, but because of Belichick’s teams’ versatility, smarts and toughness, the Patriots tend to fashion the necessary tools to bludgeon an opponent’s weaknesses. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: Raiders get the Belichick treatment, and it wasn’t pretty," 27 Sep. 2020 The league’s return to competition task force, chaired by Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, has been working for several weeks to fashion proposals to start the season. — Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Big Ten approves plan for 2020 football season this fall, possibly starting as early as Oct. 17," 15 Sep. 2020 Even the title story reminds us that fairy tales continue to exist: A father peers into the world of his daughter’s Instagram, where girls attempt to fashion stories out of incomprehensible images. — Bethanne Patrick, Washington Post, "Sarah Shun-lien Bynum’s ‘Likes’ brilliantly captures our current moment," 15 Sep. 2020 This time of season, teams that fashion themselves as contenders are supposed to thrash teams that surrendered at the trade deadline. — John Shea, SFChronicle.com, "Giants waste golden opportunities in 6-5 loss to Diamondbacks," 4 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fashion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for fashion

Noun

Middle English fasoun, fasioun, fascioun, facioun, borrowed from Anglo-French façun, fauschoun "production, construction, appearance, form, sort, manner," going back to Latin factiōn-, factiō "act of making," from facere "to make, bring about, do" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at fact

Note: The Anglo-French form with a hushing consonant that was borrowed into Middle English reflects the Picard outcome of the Latin cluster [ktj]. A doublet of faction.

Verb

Middle English fascionen, in part verbal derivative of fascioun fashion entry 1, in part borrowed from Middle French façonner, derivative of façon fashion entry 1

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Dictionary Entries near fashion

fas est et ab hoste doceri

Statistics for fashion

Last Updated

16 Oct 2020

Cite this Entry

“Fashion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fashion. Accessed 25 Oct. 2020.

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More Definitions for fashion

fashion

noun

English Language Learners Definition of fashion

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a popular way of dressing during a particular time or among a particular group of people

: the business of creating and selling clothes in new styles

: clothes that are popular

fashion

verb

English Language Learners Definition of fashion (Entry 2 of 2)

: to form (something) into something else : to make (something) from something else

See the full definition for fashion in the English Language Learners Dictionary

fashion

noun

fash·ion | \ ˈfa-shən

Kids Definition of fashion

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the popular style of a thing at a certain time or among a certain group

2 : manner sense 2, way “This trial will be conducted in an orderly fashion.”— Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux

fashion

verb

fashioned; fashioning

Kids Definition of fashion (Entry 2 of 2)

: to give shape or form to … getting a piece of wood, he fashioned it in a cross …— Robert Louis Stevenson, Kidnapped

Choose the Right Synonym for fashion

Noun

fashion, style, and fad mean the way that up-to-date people do things. fashion is used of any custom (as a way of dressing or behaving) that is widely accepted at any one time or place. It was once the fashion for everyone to wear hats. style may suggest a fashion that is approved of by people with taste. The house was decorated in the latest style. fad is used for something that is very popular and often only for a short time. Beach tennis may be just a fad.