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

And while Holland has yet to produce any Telemachus method dressing, Zendaya has been Athena incarnate in custom Jacquemus, drapey Khaite, and sculptural vintage Givenchy headgear. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 17 July 2026

Try it anywhere you might be tempted to use an anchovy or two, in dressings and sauces, braises, or, frankly, any dish involving seafood. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 July 2026

Flat shoes particularly bring a sense of understated elegance to a granny-jeans look—from leather loafers to ankle boots, the combination of comfort and polish redefines everyday dressing. — Alex Sales, Glamour, 17 July 2026

Unique interpretations on power dressing hit the red carpet at Thursday night’s Time100 Sports Gala at Pier Sixty in New York City. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 17 July 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