dressed; dressing; dresses
1
a
: to make or set straight
b
: to arrange (troops, equipment, etc.) in a straight line and at proper intervals
2
: to prepare for use or service
specifically
: to prepare for cooking or for the table
dress a salad
3
: to add decorative details or accessories to : embellish
4
a
: to put clothes on
dress a child
b
: to provide with clothing
feed and dress a growing family
5
archaic
: dress down
6
a
: to apply dressings or medicaments to
dress a wound
b(1)
: to arrange (the hair) by combing, brushing, or curling
(2)
: to groom and curry (an animal)
c
: to kill and prepare for market or for consumption
—often used with out
e
: to put through a finishing process
especially
: to trim and smooth the surface of (a material, such as lumber or stone)
1
a
: to put on clothing
b
: to put on or wear formal, elaborate, or fancy clothes
dress for dinner
2
of a food animal
: to weigh after being dressed
—often used with out
3
: to align oneself with the next soldier in a line to make the line straight
1
: suitable for a formal occasion
dress clothes
dress shoes
2
: requiring or permitting formal dress
a dress affair
3
: relating to or used for a dress
dress material
Synonyms
Examples of dress in a Sentence
Verb
They dressed themselves in a hurry.
He dressed the child in a snowsuit.
She showered, dressed, and ate breakfast.
She dressed warmly for skiing.
She is dressing for the opera.
They always dress for dinner.
The nurse dressed the cut on my knee.
Noun
She wore dresses only on special occasions.
She wore a short black dress to the party.
Her wedding dress was decorated with lace.
The guests were clothed in traditional Indian dress.
It is wise to wear conservative dress to an interview.
Adjective
I wore dress pants and a nice sweater.
the naval commander wore his dress uniform to the ball
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Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Clark, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2023
Britney fans can show off their love for the singer with this fun and glittery Funko Pop, dressed in one of her most memorable all-red stage fits.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
When Allen first dressed Schafer in the Marni dress, the stylist says the actor instantly beamed.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 16 Nov. 2023
And by 8, the room was full of people dressed in glittering saris and tailored kurtas.
—Mahira Rivers, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023
Prior to the ceremony, Rauw walked the red carpet dressed in Saint Laurent while accompanied by his mother.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2023
The two then dressed to the nines, wearing a white wedding gown and traditional black suit for the renewal, before posing for a photoshoot on the rooftop of the Bellagio Hotel and Casino.
—Joelle Goldstein, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023
Scherzinger posed next to life-size trolls while dressed in solidarity: a fluffy, all-pink getup.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 15 Nov. 2023
Eclectically dressed people leaned over Link’s stroller, cooing.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023
Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 18 Nov. 2023
Whether paired with tailored trousers for a business meeting or draped over a casual dress for an evening out, this blazer is incredibly versatile for the holiday season.
—Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2023
The shiny suits, and after that the girls started wearing those dresses with the aluminum foil lining too.
—Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 17 Nov. 2023
Megan accessorized her look with a pair of strappy brown heels that matched her dress and glittering dangly earrings.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 17 Nov. 2023
Both opted for a neutral color palette—Gerber in chocolate brown and Crawford in pure white—but while Gerber wore a dress, her mother opted for chic suiting.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 16 Nov. 2023
In the mid-1990s, Ms. Getty was asked by a friend to help shop for flower girl dresses.
—Jessica Testa, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023
Chicago’s second costume was a little more thought out — a white dress with a poofy skirt and sheer sleeves, complete with a pair of white cowboy boots.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023
With an audience of famously stylish stars and a history of bold looks (see: Rihanna’s sheer Adam Selman dress), it’s bound to be a night of exciting fashion.
—Vogue, 6 Nov. 2023
Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 27 Feb. 2022
And within the summer maxi dress umbrella are options for every style and aesthetic; there’s one to delight no matter your style—even a few for the non-dress girls!
—Madeline Fass, Vogue, 4 May 2021
That's the case even if the job does not require dress clothes.
—Daniel B. Kline, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2017
Dress code controversies are nothing new, especially in the era of social media.
—Rafael Guerrero, chicagotribune.com, 29 Aug. 2017
Factor in alterations: Dress alterations can be costly, so talk to your salon about their policy in advance.
—Emily Valla, idahostatesman, 21 July 2017
Dress-code-busting aside, these are some excellent, just-DGAF-enough outfits.
—Megan Gustashaw, GQ, 13 July 2017
Dress code double standards not only can make summer unbearable but also serve to police people's gender expression.
—Suzannah Weiss, Glamour, 23 June 2017
Dress Meets Body collection, which is set in a large funnel-like space with a video of Merce Cunningham’s dancers performing in the clothing by viewers’ feet.
—Steff Yotka, Vogue, 1 May 2017
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Verb
The 1991 murder of Sarah Yarborough shook the community of Federal Way, Washington, to its core — a 16-year-old girl found strangled on the campus of the local high school, still partially dressed in her drill team uniform.
—Lauren Clark, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2023
Britney fans can show off their love for the singer with this fun and glittery Funko Pop, dressed in one of her most memorable all-red stage fits.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023
When Allen first dressed Schafer in the Marni dress, the stylist says the actor instantly beamed.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 16 Nov. 2023
And by 8, the room was full of people dressed in glittering saris and tailored kurtas.
—Mahira Rivers, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023
Prior to the ceremony, Rauw walked the red carpet dressed in Saint Laurent while accompanied by his mother.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2023
The two then dressed to the nines, wearing a white wedding gown and traditional black suit for the renewal, before posing for a photoshoot on the rooftop of the Bellagio Hotel and Casino.
—Joelle Goldstein, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023
Scherzinger posed next to life-size trolls while dressed in solidarity: a fluffy, all-pink getup.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 15 Nov. 2023
Eclectically dressed people leaned over Link’s stroller, cooing.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023
Noun
For instance, while home with her children in Georgia, rather than being fully glamorous as she is often depicted, the former wears a relaxed floral house dress with an apron.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 18 Nov. 2023
Whether paired with tailored trousers for a business meeting or draped over a casual dress for an evening out, this blazer is incredibly versatile for the holiday season.
—Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2023
The shiny suits, and after that the girls started wearing those dresses with the aluminum foil lining too.
—Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 17 Nov. 2023
Megan accessorized her look with a pair of strappy brown heels that matched her dress and glittering dangly earrings.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 17 Nov. 2023
Both opted for a neutral color palette—Gerber in chocolate brown and Crawford in pure white—but while Gerber wore a dress, her mother opted for chic suiting.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 16 Nov. 2023
In the mid-1990s, Ms. Getty was asked by a friend to help shop for flower girl dresses.
—Jessica Testa, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023
Chicago’s second costume was a little more thought out — a white dress with a poofy skirt and sheer sleeves, complete with a pair of white cowboy boots.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023
With an audience of famously stylish stars and a history of bold looks (see: Rihanna’s sheer Adam Selman dress), it’s bound to be a night of exciting fashion.
—Vogue, 6 Nov. 2023
Adjective
While Gigi's mid-length dress featured a sheer corset, her sister walked down the runway in an opaque mini-dress version of the look.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 27 Feb. 2022
And within the summer maxi dress umbrella are options for every style and aesthetic; there’s one to delight no matter your style—even a few for the non-dress girls!
—Madeline Fass, Vogue, 4 May 2021
That's the case even if the job does not require dress clothes.
—Daniel B. Kline, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2017
Dress code controversies are nothing new, especially in the era of social media.
—Rafael Guerrero, chicagotribune.com, 29 Aug. 2017
Factor in alterations: Dress alterations can be costly, so talk to your salon about their policy in advance.
—Emily Valla, idahostatesman, 21 July 2017
Dress-code-busting aside, these are some excellent, just-DGAF-enough outfits.
—Megan Gustashaw, GQ, 13 July 2017
Dress code double standards not only can make summer unbearable but also serve to police people's gender expression.
—Suzannah Weiss, Glamour, 23 June 2017
Dress Meets Body collection, which is set in a large funnel-like space with a video of Merce Cunningham’s dancers performing in the clothing by viewers’ feet.
—Steff Yotka, Vogue, 1 May 2017
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dress.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French drescer, dresser to direct, put right, from Vulgar Latin *directiare, from Latin directus direct, past participle of dirigere to direct, from dis- + regere to lead straight — more at right
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1745, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of dress was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing dress
Articles Related to dress
Dictionary Entries Near dress
Cite this Entry
“Dress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dress. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.
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Kids Definition
dress
1 of 3 verb1
: to make or set straight
2
a
: to put clothes on
b
: to provide with clothing
c
: to put on or wear formal or fancy clothes
3
: to trim or decorate for display
4
: to put in order
5
a
: to apply dressings or medicine to
dress a wound
b
: to arrange (as the hair) by combing, brushing, or curling
d
: to kill and prepare for market
dress a chicken
e
: to apply manure or fertilizer to
dress
2 of 3 noun1
2
: an outer garment with a skirt for a woman or child
3
: clothing appropriate to a particular time or occasion
Roman dress
evening dress
dress
3 of 3 adjective1
: suitable or required for a formal occasion
dress clothes
2
: relating to or used for a dress
More from Merriam-Webster on dress
Nglish: Translation of dress for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of dress for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dress
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