dress 1 of 3

noun

Definition of dressnext
1
as in gown
a garment with a joined blouse and skirt usually worn by a woman or girl what a lovely dress you're wearing today!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in costume
clothing chosen as appropriate for a specific situation a bagpiper in full Scottish Highlander dress

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in clothes
covering for the human body a businessman who is very conservative in his dress

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in look
the outward form of someone or something especially as indicative of a quality another version of the Cinderella story but in modern-romance dress

Synonyms & Similar Words

dress

2 of 3

adjective

as in formal
relating to or suitable for wearing to an event requiring elegant dress and manners the naval commander wore his dress uniform to the ball

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dress

3 of 3

verb

ˈdres How to pronounce dress (audio)
1
as in to bandage
to cover with a bandage first wash and then dress the wound

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decorate
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming let's dress up the room with some greenery for the holiday party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to polish
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure dress the granite block to be used as the headstone on all four sides

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to costume
to outfit with clothes and especially fine or special clothes dressed the young girl in satin and lace

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to clothe
to put on one's best or formal clothes we don't usually dress for dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to grow
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care dress the beans by applying fertilizer once a week

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 dress
Noun
The Oscar-winning actress wore a sleeveless dress in a soft blue tone embroidered with floral elements throughout and featuring delicate lace detailing at the hemline and neckline. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026 Her 10-year-old friend wore a bonnet and a long yellow dress. — Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
One protester attended the demonstration dressed as a character from The Handmaid’s Tale, a dystopian television series about women in a patriarchal society. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 Swedish architect Martin Brudnizki dressed it in bold Art Deco and an electric color palette that doesn't apologize for existing on Sunset Boulevard. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress
  1. gown
  2. costume
  3. clothing
  4. look
  5. formal
  6. bandage
  7. decorate
  8. polish
Noun
  • The bride wore a sculptural high-neck gown by designer Manuel Pertegaz that was placed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive royal wedding dress in history.
    — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Then, just to keep us guessing, Pugh attended a press event at New York’s Paley Center in an ethereal all-white Erdem gown, a personification of symbolic innocence.
    — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of gown
Noun
  • The series puts an all-Korean cast in Western Baroque costume and was shot largely in Europe.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Have your camera ready when arriving or departing, as the staff usually perform an entertaining song and dance in traditional costumes.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of costume
Noun
  • Instead of afternoons spent browsing racks of clothing and getting advice from trusted salespeople, shoppers find inspiration from social media.
    — Rachel Felder, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The clothing retailer will be responsible for developing a multi-episode docuseries, national mall tour and a clothing collection with the rising pop stars, according to a press release.
    — Catriona Marangi, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of clothing
Noun
  • Floor-to-ceiling windows grace both the city and river-view rooms, all replete with white oak fixtures and a stylish mid-century modern look.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Hotties and Megan’s friends, including WNBA star Angel Reese, loved her latest look, which even had a pink Chanel bag with a matching phone case.
    — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of look
Adjective
  • The president may reveal Clayton's appointment as soon as Friday, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity before a formal announcement.
    — Jeff Masonand Michael Shepard Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The very fact that this has now been given a formal college inside the PLA’s Army Engineering University is telling, however.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of formal
Verb
  • Police then escorted Rajapaksa, who had one eye bandaged from recent surgery, to a vehicle to be taken to a jail.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In clips of the season 2 episode documenting Kari and Gina’s surgeries, the women are anesthetized, cut into, shunted around, bandaged, and propped up for interviews.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of bandage
Verb
  • You’re pointed to the hotel entrance by a series of discrete signs in gold lettering, where lifts take you to the beautiful 10th floor lobby decorated in cream and white and accented with simple, bold artworks, also in gold.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The Clarins brand developed travel retail sets with boxes decorated uniquely for the city the traveler is in, highlighting moments of discovery.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of decorate
Verb
  • Each refillable case secures with a satisfying magnetic closure, and is polished with an alabaster finish.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026
  • These natural diamonds are often cloudy and oddly shaped, and lose about 25% of their weight as they're cut and polished into what a jeweler would sell, according to Nathan Renfro, senior manager at the Gemological Institute of America.
    — LAURA TURBAY, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of polish

Phrases Containing dress

Browse Nearby Words

drenching
dress
dress down
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dress

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dress

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of galore

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All