costume 1 of 3

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

Relevance
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

costume

2 of 3

verb

costume

3 of 3

adjective

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of costume
Noun
Michael Wilkinson, who was our costume designer, is just a true artist. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2025 Dress in your best cosplay costume and spend the weekend among belly dancers, fairies, princesses, aerialists and maybe even a mermaid or two. Sarah Kuta, Denver Post, 14 May 2025
Verb
Wang and her team accounted for that in numerous ways, from the episode’s lighting to costuming and cinematography choices. Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2025 There are animatronic dragons poking out of their little homes, walk-around dragons created with a bit of puppetry and costuming magic, and dragons that appear to walk and move completely on their own. Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
For years, people have wondered how actors (and writers, directors, editors, composers, costume designers, and so forth) make the time to see all the movies up for nomination each year when they’re expected to continue doing their jobs during awards season. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025 In a 2022 interview with Today, Ricci shared that costume fittings were some of her least favorite days on set because of the constant scrutiny surrounding her looks. Toria Sheffield, People.com, 20 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for costume
Recent Examples of Synonyms for costume
Noun
  • While arriving at Cannes' Palace of Festivals and Conferences center, per People magazine, the British actress stunned in a white and pink plaid dress.
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • In the final scene of Sirens, Simone stands on the grounds of the mansion, gazing out at the sunset in a silky blue dress.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Along with Absolute Standards, a subsidiary of the company Walter Surface Technologies, which has its U.S. headquarters in Windsor, reportedly manufactures respirator safety masks used during executions in Alabama.
    Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 15 May 2025
  • Complacency is fear of wearing the mask of confidence.
    Quang X. Pham, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Audience members, some clad in MAGA caps, were largely supportive of Trump.
    Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
  • The exchange doesn’t quite go as planned, and the kidnapper and his crew are way more organized and forward-planning than the detectives anticipated, repeatedly throwing them off the trail with decoys and swaps between motorcyclists all clad in the same head-to-toe black.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Their tan, gray and brown camouflage patterns protect them from visual predators, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
    Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 13 May 2025
  • In operations, its employees were often seen heavily armed and wearing camouflage.
    Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The Fisherman's Ring Once attired in his vestments, the pontiff returns to the Sistine Chapel and sits on a papal chair.
    Christopher Watson, ABC News, 8 May 2025
  • The next step is to get the new pope attired for his first public appearance.
    Christopher Watson, ABC News, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • The velvet bow felt more formal than those smaller-scale ribbons, partially due to her half-up hairstyle and the dressy white jacket and layered pearl necklaces.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 9 May 2025
  • Consider the shoes Photo: Getty Images A dressy beach shoe is certainly a tricky sartorial challenge, given you will likely be walking on sandy terrain.
    Christian Allaire, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Armed with a drum by his side, Njenga was dressed in a leopard-print Kenyan garb, with a mohawk painted half white and half black, in honor of Lwanda Magere, a Kenyan folk hero whose powers lay in the shadows.
    Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025
  • For his trial, the mogul will be permitted to wear non-prison garb.
    Liam Quinn, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The show’s divergence here is enormous, first by grounding Tommy in Jackson rather than as the leader of the violent excursion and secondly removing any guise about Ellie’s intentions.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2025
  • The kit is being sold under the ridiculous guise of an educational tool.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Costume.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/costume. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on costume

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!