as in dresses
to place on one's person
she donned her best gown for the ball
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Recent Examples of dons
Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
Broadway veteran Christiane Noll dons full habit as the Mother Abbess, perhaps the adult with the most insight — or at least interest — into what makes Maria tick.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 4 June 2026
Instead of wearing a suit and tie in the image, Colbert dons more casual attire in the new photo.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 1 June 2026
The new group’s Bronze Green/Raffia/Coral dons a green upper with brown midsole detailing and red branding.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
Stage coaches trot down Mule Alley, the smell of BBQ is in the air, and everyone dons their boots and cowboy hats for dinner.
—Nathanael Gassett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 May 2026
He is spurred to take it up again to deal with the rise of super-powered villains and, in-keeping with his day-job as a PI, Reilly dons a trench coat and a fedora for his exploits.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
But when a Stormtrooper shootout occurs or Mando has to take down a colossal space beast, stuntman Lateef Crowder dons the armor.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 24 May 2026
Later in the vid, Charli dons a high, messy ponytail and a chic bun, all paired with some seriously glam runway eye shadow via YSL Beauty.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 22 May 2026
Verb
Kerri Kenney-Silver dons a chic white blouse and jeans for the Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass premiere during the 2026 Tribeca Festival on June 10 in New York City.
—Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
Broadway veteran Christiane Noll dons full habit as the Mother Abbess, perhaps the adult with the most insight — or at least interest — into what makes Maria tick.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 4 June 2026
Instead of wearing a suit and tie in the image, Colbert dons more casual attire in the new photo.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 1 June 2026
The new group’s Bronze Green/Raffia/Coral dons a green upper with brown midsole detailing and red branding.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
Stage coaches trot down Mule Alley, the smell of BBQ is in the air, and everyone dons their boots and cowboy hats for dinner.
—Nathanael Gassett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 May 2026
He is spurred to take it up again to deal with the rise of super-powered villains and, in-keeping with his day-job as a PI, Reilly dons a trench coat and a fedora for his exploits.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
But when a Stormtrooper shootout occurs or Mando has to take down a colossal space beast, stuntman Lateef Crowder dons the armor.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 24 May 2026
Later in the vid, Charli dons a high, messy ponytail and a chic bun, all paired with some seriously glam runway eye shadow via YSL Beauty.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dons
Verb
-
While both draw big crowds and, like the pope, Bad Bunny often dresses in white, their messages are contrasting.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
-
The most famous Colombian fan is Gustavo Llanos, known as El Cole (Birdman), who dresses like a tri-colored bird and has been to every World Cup Colombia participated in since 1990.—
Michelle Kaufman
May 29,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
For all but a few professions (airline pilot, air-traffic controller), Congress eliminated mandatory retirement in 1986, deeming it age discrimination; between 2000 and 2010, the number of college professors over the age of sixty-five doubled.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
-
In their new book from University of California Press, professors Banks and Fortmueller dive into how the rise of streaming services — alongside COVID-19, the #MeToo movement and other factors — have forever changed the way Hollywood works.—
Michael Schaub,
Oc Register,
11 June 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
-
Trump has undergone four medical checkups in 13 months, prompting questions about the frequency of his visits, the types of tests being performed and what doctors are looking for.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
-
These doctors are independent, but come together in what’s called an independent physician association to jointly contract with health insurance companies.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Hollywood puts on hundreds of events each year — premieres, galas and FYC events — and the majority of the time those red carpets are not recycled.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Last week, the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, which puts on the annual Swedish Days festival, announced that the parade traditionally held on the final day of the celebration would be paused this year.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lloyd was born in Berkeley and raised in Lafayette by his parents, Lester Lloyd, one of the deans of the San Francisco printing industry, and Mildred Lloyd, a librarian at Stanley Middle School.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
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But if the online tool cannot be turned back on safely, school officials will work with deans, department heads, and instructors regarding alternate ways to end the semester, sharing more information before noon Sunday.—
William Lee,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Plus, with more than 15 colors and patterns available, there's plenty of room to find a pair that suits your travel style.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
10 June 2026
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Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the couple renovated the 1990s design to a design that suits their whimsy.—
Ella Field,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
This trend of inadequate math preparation among first-year university students, UC faculty said in their letter, results in instructors having to reteach middle school math while the level of course content drops below what’s needed for advanced STEM work.—
Tarini Mehta,
Sacbee.com,
11 June 2026
-
Learn to ride Atlantic swells from expert instructors in towns like Lagos.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dons. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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