Synonyms of costume

costume 1 of 3

noun

ˈkä-ˌstüm 

1

as in dress

clothing chosen as appropriate for a specific situation

a tuxedo is the only acceptable costume for men attending a formal event

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dress
• clothes
• attire
• garb
• outfit
• getup
• togs
• apparel
• guise
• style
• drag
• raiment
• mode
• duds
• vestments
• habiliment(s)
• fashion
• array
• caparison

2

as in mask

clothing put on to hide one's true identity or imitate someone or something else

Halloween costumes that caricature some of the "celebrities" created by the media over the past year

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mask
• camouflage
• guise
• disguise
• dress
• veil
• paint
• visor
• coloring
• makeup
• costumery
• outfit
• getup
• rig
• domino
• cosmetic
• vizard

costume

2 of 3

verb

kä-ˈstüm 

as in to dress

to outfit with clothes and especially fine or special clothes

the days when people, costumed in their Sunday best, would parade along the grand avenue on Easter

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dress
• clothe
• attire
• gown
• garment
• apparel
• garb
• toilet
• suit
• habit
• deck (out)
• rig (out)
• array
• robe
• drape
• wrap
• jacket
• dress up
• get up
• bedeck
• vesture
• uniform
• outfit
• tog (up or out)
• enrobe
• caparison
• cloak
• vest
• frock
• invest
• do up
• mantle
• furnish
• tailor
• swaddle
• equip
• huddle
• dress down
• swathe
• hap
• bedight
• accoutre
• enswathe
• underdress
• habilitate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strip
• undress
• disarray
• disrobe
• unclothe
• uncover
• untruss
• divest
• unveil
• denude
• undrape

costume

3 of 3

adjective

as in costumey

Related Words

• dress
• costumey
• dressy
• formal
• fashionable
• stylish
• chic
• dapper
• in
• natty
• evening
• modish
• fitted
• tailored
• smart
• white-tie
• black-tie
• snappy
• custom-made
• semiformal
• sharp

Dissimilar Words

• informal
• casual
• street
• sporty
• unfashionable
• outmoded
• dowdy
• sportif
• untidy
• sloppy
• slovenly
• unkempt
• wrinkled
• grungy
• messy
• rumpled
• disheveled
• styleless
• mussy
• frowsy
• unstylish
• sloven

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of costume

Noun

The series pairs its lavish costumes and sets with visual effects to build its fantasy world, including Queen, a mysterious bird with whom Navier forms a bond. — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026

Young women in antebellum costumes greeted guests before Mayor Hartsfield took the stage to kick things off. — Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026

Verb

But Halloween bash or not, the best Heidi Klum Halloween costumes over the years are truly showstopping. — Lynsey Eidell, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2026

But the production design and costuming for Wednesday’s show indicated that she’s not done conjuring up a palatial vibe just yet. — Chris Willman, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026

Adjective

Production designer Nikolaj Danielsen takes full advantage of the ancient Bavarian locations standing in for England, while costume designers Andras Daniel Toth and Attila Godena-Juhasz clearly worked overtime to create innumerable period outfits. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026

There was a costume parade featuring 38 corgis in diverse outfits including a dinosaur suit, a dress and doggy sports gear. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026