clothe

verb

ˈklōt͟h 

clothed or clad ˈklad  ; clothing

transitive verb

1

a

: to cover with or as if with cloth or clothing : dress

b

: to provide with clothes

the cost of feeding and clothing a family

2

: to express or enhance by suitably significant language : couch

treaties clothed in stately phraseology

3

: to endow especially with power or a quality

the nobility in which religion and history can clothe humanity

—D. R. Wallace

Synonyms

• apparel
• array
• attire
• bedeck
• caparison
• costume
• deck (out)
• do up
• dress
• dress up
• enrobe
• garb
• garment
• get up
• gown
• habit
• invest
• rig (out)
• robe
• suit
• tog (up or out)
• toilet
• vesture

Examples of clothe in a Sentence

the cost of feeding and clothing your children

they liked to clothe the twins in identical outfits just to confuse people

Recent Examples on the Web

Hertz opened the gate and greeted me warmly, clad in Blundstones and black wind-resistant gear. —Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025

The entertainment included performances by at least one topless dancer who at the end was clad only in a G-string. —The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 12 Feb. 2025

But the dude came out sporting the American flag, everyone was fully clothed and there was no obvious signs of satanic worship. —Justin Gest, Newsweek, 10 Feb. 2025

Our mascot will be a rabbi, clad in a black hat and a long coat. —Jonathan Zimmerman, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English clāthian, from clāth

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

clothe

verb

ˈklōt͟h 

clothed or clad ˈklad  ; clothing

1

a

: to cover with or as if with clothing : dress

b

: to provide with clothes

2

: to express in a certain way

clothe your thoughts clearly