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

Then Jason — clad in Cincinnati red from his hat to his short shorts — loaded up a metal cannon before shooting a wrap straight into the crowd. —Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024

Dickies has clothed the popular giant for years and even named one of its conference rooms after him. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2024

All but one left Maranello clad in Ferrari red paint, while the outlier was painted black. —Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024

In 1975, Hertz signed Simpson as the first Black man hired for a major national corporate advertising campaign, with soon-familiar commercials of him, smiling and clad in business suit, running through airports and leaping over obstacles to get to his rental car. —Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2024

Isabella Rossellini, a longtime muse and friends, clad in a chic white brocade pajama and cool flat slippers, made a witty, affectionate speech. —Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2024

In 1982, 2,075 couples were wed by Moon at Madison Square Garden, brides in lace and satin gowns and grooms clad in identical cobalt suits. —TIME, 4 Apr. 2024

In one photo on Instagram, Eric humorously flaunted a snapshot of himself clad in hospital scrubs from the waist down, with a red biohazard waste bucket lurking in the background. —Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024

Shakira locks in on the camera with a fierce, smoldering intensity and begins rhythmically swaying hips clad in studded black leather. —Patricia Alfonso Tortolani, Allure, 1 Apr. 2024

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