as in dresses
to place on one's person
she donned her best gown for the ball
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 dons
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Phoenix dons makeup and transforms, taking a disturbed disaster of a stand-up comedian down the dark and dangerous path to being a killer clown.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Mader's is filled with Old-World charm from the outside to the dining room, an ornate space with Bavarian decor and a waitstaff that dons dirndls and lederhosen.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
The look in question was from the March 10, 1997 pilot episode ‘Welcome to the Hellmouth’, in which Buffy dons a blue button-down top over a white tank top, complete with a messy updo and wispy bangs.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2026
That’s true at the end of the film but not at the beginning, when Jason dons the mask and murders his film professor.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Chin puts her hair up in a bun, dons a shawl and essentially becomes her mother.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2026
Twiggy, who attended the brand’s spring 2026 show last September at the giant tent set up at Kensington Palace Gardens, sports a leather trenchcoat with fringe in the campaign, while Wigram dons a brown paisley laser-cut suede trenchcoat with whipstitching detail.
—Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 2026
The look is a far cry from the full body suit his character Maximus dons in episode 7, which is the first time fans of the game are treated to NCR power armor in the series.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
New York City — deliciously camp and jarringly nostalgic, especially when Bateman dons his signature Walkman.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Phoenix dons makeup and transforms, taking a disturbed disaster of a stand-up comedian down the dark and dangerous path to being a killer clown.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Mader's is filled with Old-World charm from the outside to the dining room, an ornate space with Bavarian decor and a waitstaff that dons dirndls and lederhosen.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
The look in question was from the March 10, 1997 pilot episode ‘Welcome to the Hellmouth’, in which Buffy dons a blue button-down top over a white tank top, complete with a messy updo and wispy bangs.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2026
That’s true at the end of the film but not at the beginning, when Jason dons the mask and murders his film professor.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Chin puts her hair up in a bun, dons a shawl and essentially becomes her mother.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2026
Twiggy, who attended the brand’s spring 2026 show last September at the giant tent set up at Kensington Palace Gardens, sports a leather trenchcoat with fringe in the campaign, while Wigram dons a brown paisley laser-cut suede trenchcoat with whipstitching detail.
—Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 2026
The look is a far cry from the full body suit his character Maximus dons in episode 7, which is the first time fans of the game are treated to NCR power armor in the series.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dons
Verb
-
For the uninitiated—and those without this excellent Instagram on your Explore page—the Sciura is a Milanese woman who dresses elegantly and impeccably.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Middleburg also dresses to the nines for the holiday season, with festivities kicking off the first weekend of December during a multiday affair known as Christmas in Middleburg.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In an exposé by the Atlantic, professors warned that students at some of the nation’s most prestigious film programs now lack the attention span to sit through entire movies.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
-
On the other side, college students and professors observe the children, ages 2 to 5, and their teachers.—
Michael Cuglietta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There’s infectious joy and wonder as the Eridian who will come to be known as Rocky begins communicating with Ryland, at first with rudimentary signals and then with more complex language once Ryland rigs a translation device.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Instead, doctors take a holistic approach that includes managing physical symptoms, working with social workers to address patients’ needs, and cognitive therapy.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Last summer, Brossoit and doctors, after examining his right hip, found the root cause of the knee pain — a cam lesion on the head of his femur that was causing issues with cartilage inside the joint.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pageants, deans' lists, graduations or military enlistments are not accepted.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
In conducting the self-review, however, Khator and some of her academic deans sent communications to faculty that referenced the new state law, which doesn’t contain any reference to indoctrination.—
Samantha Ketterer,
Houston Chronicle,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Elsewhere, districts are considering hiring uncertified instructors, combining classes or dropping course offerings.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The instructors make money on their lessons and commissions and gain exposure through OMM; OMM earns through those sales as well as the fee for the kit.—
Kase Wickman,
Vanity Fair,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Heartthrob Cody Madison now runs The Shoreline, the unofficially official Baywatch bar-and-grill, and still puts on the red trunks for the occasional shift saving lives.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Film Festival Alliance along with Art House Convergence annually puts on its Film Exhibition Conference, which IndieWire helped announce the launch of back in 2023.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In Tulum, just choose the tempo that suits you and let the landscape do the rest.—
Gina Góngora,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Select the method that best suits you.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dons. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
