underwear

noun

un·​der·​wear ˈən-dər-ˌwer 

: clothing or an article of clothing worn next to the skin and under other clothing

Synonyms

• underclothes
• underclothing
• undergarments
• undies
• unmentionables

Examples of underwear in a Sentence

he had been sleeping in his underwear so he had to put a robe on before answering the door

Recent Examples on the Web

Additional images showed off the Rotten Tomatoes Fresh rating, as well as a behind-the-scenes Kimmel photo of Pugh in her underwear and more casual shots solo and with friend Theo Smith. —Jen Juneau, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Don’t wear any underwear underneath your shapewear as this will ruin the smooth finish and create bumping or visible lines. —Emma Spedding, Glamour, 29 Apr. 2025

Her son has come into the living room, in his underwear, his thin frame in the dark light. —Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2025

Clad in nothing but his underwear, Joe pursues Bronte through the woods like a demon, and Badgley goes hard on making Joe sound like a teeny, whiny baby. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing underwear

• change of underwear
• in one's underwear
• long/thermal underwear
• long underwear

Rhymes for underwear

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware

Kids Definition

underwear

noun

un·​der·​wear ˈən-dər-ˌwa(ə)r 

-ˌwe(ə)r

: clothing or an article of clothing worn next to the skin and under other clothing