underwear

noun

un·​der·​wear ˈən-dər-ˌwer How to pronounce underwear (audio)
: clothing or an article of clothing worn next to the skin and under other clothing

Examples of underwear in a Sentence

he had been sleeping in his underwear so he had to put a robe on before answering the door
Recent Examples on the Web Parma is a city of inventive door knockers and narrow streets that become belligerently slippery after one instant of rain, and racks upon racks of men’s underwear in innovatively bizarre cuts and fabrics. Molly Young, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024 In the doc, Frierson recalls playing the character of Captain Big Nose in a superhero costume of tights and underwear. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 All That actor Leon Frierson recalls playing a superhero character called Captain Big Nose in tights and underwear, with a prosthetic nose and matching noses on his shoulders. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2024 The coverage was basically a pair of underwear that pocketed Cena both front and back. Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Monogrammed underwear aside, McCullers’s own entry into adulthood was much closer to Mick’s dream. Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 In the black-and-white photos, Maluma rested his hand on his girlfriend's baby belly, with the two wearing matching white Calvin Klein underwear. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 In truth, many elements of a traditional Westwood show were there — the high platform shoe, the reference to 18th and 19th century dress, an irreverent glimpse of a butt cheek, even the codpieces seemed to be a nod to the brand’s history pioneering of underwear as outerwear in the 1980s. Leah Dolan, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 Someone took a picture of them, stripped to their underwear, which was posted on Facebook. Shane Bauer, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underwear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of underwear was in 1870

Dictionary Entries Near underwear

Cite this Entry

“Underwear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underwear. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

underwear

noun
un·​der·​wear ˈən-dər-ˌwa(ə)r How to pronounce underwear (audio)
-ˌwe(ə)r
: clothing or an article of clothing worn next to the skin and under other clothing

More from Merriam-Webster on underwear

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