dress

1 of 3

verb

dressed; dressing; dresses

transitive verb

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
d
: cultivate, tend
especially : to apply manure or fertilizer to
dress a field
e
: to put through a finishing process
especially : to trim and smooth the surface of (a material, such as lumber or stone)

intransitive verb

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

dress

2 of 3

noun

1
2
: an outer garment (as for a woman or girl) usually consisting of a one-piece bodice and skirt
3
: covering, adornment, or appearance appropriate or peculiar to a particular time
4
: a particular form of presentation : guise

dress

3 of 3

adjective

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
Phrases
dress ship
: to ornament a ship for a celebration by hoisting national ensigns at the mastheads and running a line of signal flags and pennants from bow to stern

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 See More
Recent Examples on the Web
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 See More

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

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.

Kids Definition

dress

1 of 3 verb
1
: 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
6

dress

2 of 3 noun
1
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 adjective
1
: suitable or required for a formal occasion
dress clothes
2
: relating to or used for a dress

Medical Definition

dress

verb
: to apply dressings or medicaments to

More from Merriam-Webster on dress

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