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
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
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
1
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
Hannah Malach, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
As is tradition on the third day of the Sydney Test, also known as the Pink Test, people wore pink shirts, dresses, hats, suits or even dyed their hair to show support for the McGrath Foundation.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
There’s a wackier and more individual approach to dressing for the spotlight—Myha’la and Alexander Skarsgard come to mind.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress
Noun
Beyoncé, meanwhile, opted for a chainmail mini dress with fringe.
—Verb
Evelyn is stunned to see Norma, dressed to the nines, sitting at the end of a very long dining room table.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress
Noun
-
Camila Alves McConaughey brought a measured kind of shine to the 2025 Baby2Baby Gala in West Hollywood on Saturday night, pairing an asymmetrical metallic gown with Aquazzura’s So Nude Sandal 105 in gold.—
-
For her big night, Kris wore a strapless crimson gown with ruffles that featured a train.—
Noun
-
The mascot is best known for his signature catch phrase and outrageous costume featuring a red cape, sunglasses and a belt decorated with Duff beer cans.—
-
The star also shared an adorable photo of the family’s matching Halloween costume, sharing an image of her, Luai, and Shammas wearing Batman costumes with masks and capes.—
Noun
-
Lined up next to rookie left tackle Josh Simmons and veteran center Creed Humphrey, Suamataia took some lumps in the first two preseason games before settling in for a clean sheet in the third look against the Bears.—
-
Casly Lamiit Matching Turtleneck and Skirt Set Go for an easy one-and-done look with this turtleneck sweater and skirt set.—
Adjective
-
Investigators turned their case over to the Ventura County and LA County District Attorney's Offices for formal charges.—
-
Or, wear it with work pants, skirts, or dresses for more formal occasions.—
Verb
-
Reporters inside the courtroom noticed that Flores' temple and eyelid were bandaged.—
-
During her own allocution moments later, Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, likewise struck a note of defiance and introduced herself as the First Lady of Venezuela, her face appearing bruised and bandaged.—
Verb
-
Guests will appreciate the elegant suites and villas, decorated in soothing greens, blues and purples to evoke feelings of calm.—
-
Taking advantage of Crocs’ popular personalization element, his shoes were decorated with Jibbitz charms.—
Verb
-
But the majority of all diamonds – 90% – are cut and polished in India, which holds a towering tariff rate of 50%.—
-
Prinbara Satin Maxi Skirt This satin maxi skirt is the definition of versatile—comfortable enough for all-day wear yet polished enough to anchor a night-out look.—
Verb
-
Photos from airports reviewed by USA TODAY from the USA TODAY Network, Reuters and Getty Images taken during the holiday travel season showed that flyers were largely attired in outfits ranging from casual to business casual.—
-
Turkey Trot events The S3 Turkey Trot, which includes three race options, features thousands of participants attired in costumes ahead of the Nov. 27 parade.—
Cite this Entry
“Dress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share