dresses

word · lemma: dress

/ˈdɹɛsəz/
DRE-siz
/dɹˈɛsɪz/
DRE-siz

Definition

As a noun, 'dresses' is the plural of 'dress', a piece of clothing usually worn by women or girls. As a verb, 'dresses' means puts clothes on someone, or wears clothes in a particular style.

Usage & Nuances

The noun is common in shopping and fashion contexts: 'summer dresses', 'formal dresses'. As a verb, 'dresses' is less common in everyday conversation by itself; learners often see it in 'she dresses well', 'he dresses in black', or 'she dresses the baby'. Don't confuse the noun 'dress' with the verb 'get dressed'.

Example Sentences

The store sells beautiful dresses.

basic

She dresses her son for school every morning.

basic

He always dresses in black.

basic

She only wears dresses in the summer because they're cooler.

natural

For work, he dresses a lot more formally than he does on weekends.

natural

My daughter refuses to wear anything but pink dresses right now.

natural