whole cloth

noun

: pure fabrication
usually used in the phrase out of whole cloth
the theory was created out of whole cloth

Examples of whole cloth in a Sentence

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.
Yet, bizarrely, the TV show undercuts this angle by inventing a serial killer nurse from whole cloth, a move that shifts the blame away from systemic forces and toward a motiveless scoundrel. Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025 The young create new jobs out of whole cloth. Philip Maymin, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025 Others, such as the Leagues Cup, were created out of whole cloth. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025 And yeah, if that was Louise facing down a murderer and creating a character out of whole cloth with no prep? Sara Netzley, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whole cloth

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whole cloth was in 1823

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Cite this Entry

“Whole cloth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whole%20cloth. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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