wear
Other forms: wore; wearing; wears; weared
To wear means to clothe, or be covered by. You wear suits to interviews and sweats to the gym.
Wear is used to talk about the things we wear on our body, like clothes or jewelry. We even say that people wear their feelings. If someone tells you you’re wearing your heart on your sleeve, it’s totally obvious what you’re feeling. We also use wear to talk about deterioration over time. If you walk a lot, you will wear out your shoes faster. If you chatter on and on, your listener’s patience will wear thin.
Definitions of wear
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put clothing on one's body“What should I wear today?”
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types:
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hat
put on or wear a hat
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try, try on
put on a garment in order to see whether it fits and looks nice
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scarf
wrap in or adorn with a scarf
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slip on
put on with ease or speed
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accessorize
select and wear small, decorative articles of clothing, jewelry, etc.
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bonnet
dress in a bonnet
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type of:
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dress, get dressed
put on clothes
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have on one's person
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be dressed in“She was wearing yellow that day”
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synonyms:
have on
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a covering designed to be worn on a person's body
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synonyms:
article of clothing, clothing, habiliment, vesture, wearable
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types:
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accessory, accouterment, accoutrement
clothing that is worn or carried, but not part of your main clothing
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apparel, clothes, dress, wearing apparel
clothing in general
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array, raiment, regalia
especially fine or decorative clothing
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attire, dress, garb
clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion
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beachwear
clothing to be worn at a beach
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black
black clothing (worn as a sign of mourning)
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blue
blue clothing
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change
a different or fresh set of clothes
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civilian clothing, civilian dress, civilian garb, plain clothes
ordinary clothing as distinguished from uniforms, work clothes, clerical garb, etc.
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drag
clothing that is conventionally worn by the opposite sex (especially women's clothing when worn by a man)
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footwear
clothing worn on a person's feet
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garment
an article of clothing
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gray, grey
clothing that is a grey color
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hand wear, handwear
clothing for the hands
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headdress, headgear
clothing for the head
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knitwear
knitted clothing
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leisure wear
informal clothing designed to be worn when you are relaxing
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loungewear
clothing suitable for relaxation
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man's clothing
clothing that is designed for men to wear
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neckpiece
an article of apparel worn about the neck
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nightclothes, nightwear, sleepwear
garments designed to be worn in bed
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outerwear, overclothes
clothing for use outdoors
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protective garment
clothing that is intended to protect the wearer from injury
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ready-to-wear
ready-made clothing
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slip-on
an article of clothing (garment or shoe) that is easily slipped on or off
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slops
cheap clothing (as formerly issued to sailors in Britain)
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street clothes
ordinary clothing suitable for public appearances (as opposed to costumes or sports apparel or work clothes etc.)
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tailor-made
custom-made clothing
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duds, threads, togs
informal terms for clothing
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uniform
clothing of distinctive design worn by members of a particular group as a means of identification
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vestiture
an archaic term for clothing
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woman's clothing
clothing that is designed for women to wear
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work-clothes, work-clothing
clothing worn for doing manual labor
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A-line
women's clothing that has a fitted top and a flared skirt that is widest at the hemline
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ao dai
the traditional dress of Vietnamese women consisting of a tunic with long sleeves and panels front and back; the tunic is worn over trousers
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apron
a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing
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arm guard, arm pad
a pad worn by football players and hockey goalkeepers
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athletic supporter, jock, jockstrap, supporter, suspensor
a support for the genitals worn by men engaging in strenuous exercise
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belt
a band to tie or buckle around the body (usually at the waist)
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biohazard suit
a loose one-piece garment worn to protect the wearer against dangerous biological or chemical agents
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body pad
a pad worn by hockey goalkeeper
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brace, gallus, suspender
elastic straps that hold trousers up (usually used in the plural)
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bandeau, bra, brassiere
an undergarment worn by women to support their breasts
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breechcloth, breechclout, loincloth
a garment that provides covering for the loins
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burka, burqa
a loose garment (usually with veiled holes for the eyes) worn by Muslim women especially in India and Pakistan
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camlet
a garment made of camlet fabric
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cap
a tight-fitting headdress
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chest protector
protective garment consisting of a pad worn in baseball by catchers and by football players
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civies, civvies
civilian garb as opposed to a military uniform
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collar
anything worn or placed about the neck
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costume
the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball
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costume
the attire characteristic of a country or a time or a social class
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costume
unusual or period attire not characteristic of or appropriate to the time and place
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costume
the prevalent fashion of dress (including accessories and hair style as well as garments)
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coverall
a loose-fitting protective garment that is worn over other clothing
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diaper, napkin, nappy
garment consisting of a folded cloth drawn up between the legs and fastened at the waist; worn by infants to catch excrement
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disguise
any attire that modifies the appearance in order to conceal the wearer's identity
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diving dress, diving suit
a weighted and hermetically sealed garment supplied with air; worn by underwater divers
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dress, frock
a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice
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beaver, dress hat, high hat, opera hat, silk hat, stovepipe, top hat, topper
a man's hat with a tall crown; usually covered with silk or with beaver fur
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ecclesiastical attire, ecclesiastical robe
attire that is appropriate to wear in a church
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elbow pad
protective garment consisting of a pad worn over the elbow by football and hockey players
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finery
elaborate or showy attire and accessories
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evening clothes, evening dress, eveningwear, formalwear
attire to wear on formal occasions in the evening
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foul-weather gear
protective garment that is intended to keep the wearer dry and warm in bad weather
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fur
a garment made of the dressed hairy coat of a mammal
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furnishing, trappings
(usually plural) accessory wearing apparel
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fur-piece
a neckpiece made of fur
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glove
handwear: covers the hand and wrist
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gown, robe
outerwear consisting of a long flowing garment used for official or ceremonial occasions
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gown, scrubs, surgical gown
protective garment worn by surgeons during operations
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G-string, thong
minimal clothing worn by stripteasers; a narrow strip of fabric that covers the pubic area, passes between the thighs, and is supported by a waistband
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habit
a distinctive attire worn by a member of a religious order
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habit, riding habit
attire that is typically worn by a horseback rider (especially a woman's attire)
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haick, haik
an outer garment consisting of a large piece of white cloth; worn by men and women in northern Africa
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false hair, hairpiece, postiche
a covering or bunch of human or artificial hair used for disguise or adornment
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hand-me-down
outgrown garment passed down from one person to another
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chapeau, hat, lid
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
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head covering, veil
a garment that covers the head and face
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helmet
a protective headgear made of hard material to resist blows
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hip pad
protective garment consisting of a pad worn by football and hockey players
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hood
a headdress that protects the head and face
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hose
man's close-fitting garment of the 16th and 17th centuries covering the legs and reaching up to the waist; worn with a doublet
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hose, hosiery
socks and stockings and tights collectively (the British include underwear)
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ironing
garments (clothes or linens) that are to be (or have been) ironed
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jeweled headdress, jewelled headdress
a headdress adorned with jewels
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jump suit
one-piece uniform worn by parachutists
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jump suit, jumpsuit
one-piece garment fashioned after a parachutist's uniform
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kaffiyeh
an Arab headdress consisting of a square piece of cloth folded into a triangle and fastened over the crown by an agal
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kanzu
(Swahili) a long garment (usually white) with long sleeves; worn by men in East Africa
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knee pad
protective garment consisting of a pad worn by football or baseball or hockey players
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laundry, wash, washables, washing
garments or white goods that can be cleaned by laundering
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leg covering, legging, leging
a garment covering the leg (usually extending from the knee to the ankle)
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body suit, cat suit, leotard, unitard
a tight-fitting garment of stretchy material that covers the body from the shoulders to the thighs (and may have long sleeves or legs reaching down to the ankles); worn by ballet dancers and acrobats for practice or performance
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livery
uniform worn by some menservants and chauffeurs
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lounger
an article of clothing designed for comfort and leisure wear
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lounging jacket, smoking jacket
a man's soft jacket usually with a tie belt; worn at home
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lounging pajama, lounging pyjama
pajamas worn while lounging
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mending
garments that must be repaired
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military uniform
prescribed identifying uniform for soldiers
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miter, mitre
a liturgical headdress worn by bishops on formal occasions
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morning dress
formal attire for men during the daytime
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motley
a garment made of motley (especially a court jester's costume)
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muff
a warm tubular covering for the hands
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mufti
civilian clothing worn by a person who is entitled to wear a military uniform
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neckwear
articles of clothing worn about the neck
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housecoat, neglige, negligee, peignoir, wrapper
a loose dressing gown for women
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gown, night-robe, nightdress, nightgown, nightie
lingerie consisting of a loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women
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nightshirt
nightclothes worn by men
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getup, outfit, rig, turnout
a set of clothing (with accessories)
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overall
(usually plural) work clothing consisting of denim trousers (usually with a bib and shoulder straps)
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outer garment, overgarment
a garment worn over other garments
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jammies, pajama, pj's, pyjama
(usually plural) loose-fitting nightclothes worn for sleeping or lounging; have a jacket top and trousers
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peplos, peplum, peplus
a garment worn by women in ancient Greece; cloth caught at the shoulders and draped in folds to the waist
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pressure suit
protective garment consisting of an inflatable suit for space or high altitude flying
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raglan
a garment (coat or sweater) that has raglan sleeves
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reversible
a garment (especially a coat) that can be worn inside out (with either side of the cloth showing)
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robe
any loose flowing garment
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romper, romper suit
a one-piece garment for children to wear at play; the lower part is shaped like bloomers
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sackcloth
a garment made of coarse sacking; formerly worn as an indication of remorse
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scapular, scapulary
garment consisting of a long wide piece of woolen cloth worn over the shoulders with an opening for the head; part of a monastic habit
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scarf
a garment worn around the head or neck or shoulders for warmth or decoration
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sealskin
a garment (as a jacket or coat or robe) made of sealskin
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separate
a garment that can be purchased separately and worn in combinations with other garments
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shin guard, shinpad
a stiff protective garment worn by hockey players or a catcher in baseball to protect the shins
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shirt
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
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shoulder pad
protective garment consisting of a hard rounded pad worn by football players to protect their shoulders
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silks
the brightly colored garments of a jockey; emblematic of the stable
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skirt
a garment hanging from the waist; worn mainly by girls and women
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activewear, athletic wear, sportswear
attire worn for sport or for casual wear
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stomacher
garment consisting of a V-shaped panel of stiff material worn over the chest and stomach in the 16th century
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straightjacket, straitjacket
a garment similar to a jacket that is used to bind the arms tightly against the body as a means of restraining a violent person
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suit, suit of clothes
a set of garments (usually including a jacket and trousers or skirt) for outerwear all of the same fabric and color
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sunsuit
a child's garment consisting of a brief top and shorts
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swaddling bands, swaddling clothes
a garment (a gown or narrow strips of cloth) for an infant
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jumper, sweater
a crocheted or knitted garment covering the upper part of the body
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sweat suit, sweats, sweatsuit, workout suit
garment consisting of sweat pants and a sweatshirt
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bathing costume, bathing suit, swimming costume, swimsuit, swimwear
tight fitting garment worn for swimming
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thigh pad
protective garment consisting of a pad worn over the thighs by football players
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throat protector
protective garment worn by hockey goalkeeper and catcher in baseball
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top
a garment (especially for women) that extends from the shoulders to the waist or hips
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topknot
headdress consisting of a decorative ribbon or bow worn in the hair
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trouser
a garment (or part of a garment) designed for or relating to trousers
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pant, trouser
(usually in the plural) a garment extending from the waist to the knee or ankle, covering each leg separately
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turban
a traditional Muslim headdress consisting of a long scarf wrapped around the head
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undergarment, unmentionable
a garment worn under other garments
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vest, waistcoat
a man's sleeveless garment worn underneath a coat
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war paint
full ceremonial regalia
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weeds, widow's weeds
a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning
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wet suit
a close-fitting garment made of a permeable material; worn in cold water (as by skin divers) to retain body heat
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wimple
headdress of cloth; worn over the head and around the neck and ears by medieval women
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workwear
heavy-duty clothes for manual or physical work
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wraparound
a garment (as a dress or coat) with a full length opening; adjusts to the body by wrapping around
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wrist pad
protective garment consisting of a pad worn by football players
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type of:
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consumer goods
goods (as food or clothing) intended for direct use or consumption
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covering
an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it)
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the act of having on your person as a covering or adornment“she bought it for everyday wear”
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synonyms:
wearing
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type of:
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act, deed, human action, human activity
something that people do or cause to happen
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act, deed, human action, human activity
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have or show an appearance of
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have in one's aspect; wear an expression of one's attitude or personality
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last and be usable
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deteriorate through use or stress
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exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress“We wore ourselves out on this hike”
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synonyms:
fag, fag out, fatigue, jade, outwear, tire, tire out, wear down, wear out, wear upon, weary
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types:
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beat, exhaust, tucker, tucker out, wash up
wear out completely
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overfatigue, overtire, overweary
tire excessively
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frazzle
exhaust physically or emotionally
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play
exhaust by allowing to pull on the line
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kill
tire out completely
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type of:
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indispose
cause to feel unwell
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go to pieces
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impairment resulting from long use“the tires showed uneven wear”
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type of:
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deterioration, impairment
a symptom of reduced quality or strength
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deterioration, impairment
Pronunciation
US
/wɛər/
UK
/wɛə/
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘wear'.
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