as in rigging
to place on one's person
she donned her best gown for the ball
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Recent Examples of donning
No, the 70-year-old trumpet player/tap dancer/singer won’t be donning a form-fitting unitard and launching into a sauté.
—
Dan Kelly
may 6, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Katy Perry went incognito at the 2026 Met Gala, donning a space-esque mask while walking the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 5 May 2026
Visitors can still watch daily mermaid shows, which involve women donning colorful tails and performing aquatic dances and stunts.
—Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2026
The actress-cum-musician transitioned seamlessly from host to musical guest, donning an airy green and pink dress and rocking out to the boisterous and energetic track.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 May 2026
Thousands of motorcyclists donning their most dapper attire will take to the streets around the world Sunday, May 17, to benefit men’s health issues — including here in Naperville.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Somehow, McCarthy’s assurance makes these clichés seem new again, donning them as naturally as O’Connell’s gawky bellboy wearing an old-fashioned red cap.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Towle opened the video before donning a plastic tiara and wand.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
Diehard Boston Red Sox fans Matt Damon and Ben Affleck did the unimaginable on Monday night, donning San Francisco Giants hats — all in the name of Robin Williams.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
Dan Kelly
may 6, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Katy Perry went incognito at the 2026 Met Gala, donning a space-esque mask while walking the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 5 May 2026
Visitors can still watch daily mermaid shows, which involve women donning colorful tails and performing aquatic dances and stunts.
—Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2026
The actress-cum-musician transitioned seamlessly from host to musical guest, donning an airy green and pink dress and rocking out to the boisterous and energetic track.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 May 2026
Thousands of motorcyclists donning their most dapper attire will take to the streets around the world Sunday, May 17, to benefit men’s health issues — including here in Naperville.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Somehow, McCarthy’s assurance makes these clichés seem new again, donning them as naturally as O’Connell’s gawky bellboy wearing an old-fashioned red cap.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Towle opened the video before donning a plastic tiara and wand.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
Diehard Boston Red Sox fans Matt Damon and Ben Affleck did the unimaginable on Monday night, donning San Francisco Giants hats — all in the name of Robin Williams.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for donning
Verb
-
Billups, who played with the Clippers for two seasons and later was a member of Clippers coach Ty Lue’s staff before being named head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021, is charged with rigging underground poker games that authorities said were backed by three of New York’s Mafia families.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Twenty-six years ago, students treated a visit by then-President Bill Clinton as a challenge, and outwitted the Secret Service by secretly rigging a banner to unfurl at an inopportune moment.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Williams, who serves as a co-chair for the 2026 Met Gala, is no stranger to making history—for both her athletic prowess and her confident, expressive approach to dressing on and off the court.—
Max Berlinger,
Vogue,
4 May 2026
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Alo Yoga’s fifth-ever Anniversary Sale is here, celebrating 19 whole years of dressing both everyday It-girls and celebrities such as Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The local group is putting on an auction in the Arboretum’s Palm Room.—
Pedro Moura,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
In this spooky play, five high school theater students are putting on an educational show about the dangers of drinking and driving by re-creating a deadly car crash.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Donning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/donning. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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