underwear

noun

un·​der·​wear ˈən-dər-ˌwer How to pronounce underwear (audio)
: clothing or an article of clothing worn next to the skin and under other clothing

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
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.
Nude but for white underwear, Diane Arbus regards herself in a full-length mirror, which slants to the right. Max Norman, New Yorker, 13 June 2025 The large dirty/clean cube fits a weekend's worth of clothes for a camping trip; the half-size compression cube fits underwear and my running clothes for a work trip. Kat Merck, Wired News, 13 June 2025 Breathable Bamboo Underwear $30 at Amazon One of my friends, who’s a gynecologist, advised that the most important thing to wear when traveling is breathable underwear, like this bamboo underwear that’s also incredibly soft and buttery. Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2025 In May of 2025, the DNA test results came back from the underwear found by that searcher in the woods. Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for underwear

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of underwear was in 1870

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underwear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underwear. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

underwear

noun
un·​der·​wear ˈən-dər-ˌwa(ə)r How to pronounce underwear (audio)
-ˌwe(ə)r
: clothing or an article of clothing worn next to the skin and under other clothing

More from Merriam-Webster on underwear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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