dressing
noun
dress·ing ˈdre-siŋ 
1
a
: the act or process of one who dresses
b
: an instance of such act or process
2
a
: a sauce for adding to a dish (such as a salad)
b
: a seasoned mixture usually used as a stuffing (as for poultry)
3
a
: material (such as ointment or gauze) applied to cover a lesion or wound
b
: fertilizing material (such as manure or compost)
Synonyms
- cataplasm
- plaster
- poultice
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
We had turkey with dressing and potatoes for dinner. The nurse cleaned the cut and applied a dressing.
Recent Examples on the Web Love is love is love—although Shakespeare’s plot does continue to require a certain amount of hetero panic about cross-dressing. 
Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2022 Pugh said there’s pickle juice in the ranch sauce, the key to taking the creamy dressing to another level. Micha Green, Baltimore Sun, 1 Sep. 2022 To usher in the tail end of the year, bring out athletic socks and loafers, like Zoë Kravitz, for a cozier take on off-duty dressing. Alex Kessler, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2022 In a large bowl, toss greens with enough dressing to lightly coat. Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2022 Diana demonstrated flag dressing at its finest in a white dress with red polka dots during a visit to Japan in 1986, honoring the national flag of the host country. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 30 Aug. 2022 On TikTok, there are now several videos of those in the Olympia Gayot fan club who are praising her effortless, nonchalant approach to dressing—something that’s come as a total surprise to the designer herself. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2022 Chef Armen Ayvazyan cuts a baby iceberg head in two, salts the halves and dresses them with red wine vinaigrette and Gorgonzola dressing. Jenn Harriscolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2022 To extend the decadent sour cream and mayo dressing, try blending it with a bit of olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2022 See More
Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2022 Pugh said there’s pickle juice in the ranch sauce, the key to taking the creamy dressing to another level. Micha Green, Baltimore Sun, 1 Sep. 2022 To usher in the tail end of the year, bring out athletic socks and loafers, like Zoë Kravitz, for a cozier take on off-duty dressing. Alex Kessler, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2022 In a large bowl, toss greens with enough dressing to lightly coat. Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2022 Diana demonstrated flag dressing at its finest in a white dress with red polka dots during a visit to Japan in 1986, honoring the national flag of the host country. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 30 Aug. 2022 On TikTok, there are now several videos of those in the Olympia Gayot fan club who are praising her effortless, nonchalant approach to dressing—something that’s come as a total surprise to the designer herself. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2022 Chef Armen Ayvazyan cuts a baby iceberg head in two, salts the halves and dresses them with red wine vinaigrette and Gorgonzola dressing. Jenn Harriscolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2022 To extend the decadent sour cream and mayo dressing, try blending it with a bit of olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing dressing
Kids Definition
dressing
noun
dress·ing ˈdre-siŋ
1
: a sauce put on a salad
2
: a seasoned mixture used as a stuffing
turkey with dressing
3
: material (as ointment or gauze) used to cover an injury
4
: the act of putting on clothes
Medical Definition
dressing
noun
dress·ing -iŋ
: a covering (as of ointment or gauze) applied to a lesion
dressing 1 of 2
noun
1
as in plaster
a medicated covering used to heal an injury nurses put a dressing over his cuts so they wouldn't get infected Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- plaster
- cream
- lotion
- cataplasm
- salve
- poultice
- balm
- ointment
- unguent
- liniment
- embrocation
2
as in sauce
a savory fluid food used as a topping or accompaniment to a main dish tangy salad dressing that wasn't overloaded with corn syrup Synonyms & Similar Words
- sauce
- gravy
- condiment
- seasoning
- garnish
- relish
- topping
- dip
- marinade
- fixing(s)
dressing
2 of 2verb
1
as in bandaging
to cover with a bandage first wash and then dress the wound Synonyms & Similar Words
- bandaging
- healing
- swathing
- binding
- treating
- doctoring
- medicating
- attending
- nursing
- curing
- rehabilitating
- remedying
- ministering (to)
- mending
- caring (for)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unbandaging
2
as in decorating
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming let's dress up the room with some greenery for the holiday party Synonyms & Similar Words
- decorating
- adorning
- draping
- trimming
- ornamenting
- embellishing
- garnishing
- painting
- decking
- beautifying
- festooning
- enriching
- embossing
- arraying
- doing
- bedizening
- bedecking
- accessorizing
- gussying up
- gracing
- blazoning
- caparisoning
- emblazing
- fancifying
- trapping
- doing up
- embroidering
- dolling up
- smartening
- freshening
- brightening
- braiding
- flouncing
- glitzing (up)
- ribboning
- fancying up
- frilling
- garlanding
- hanging
- jeweling
- swagging
- filleting
- bossing
- chasing
- prettying (up)
- dressing up
- figuring
- gilding
- appliquéing
- fringing
- wreathing
- filigreeing
- lacing
- redecorating
- jewelling
- redoing
- diamonding
- feathering
- impearling
- sprucing (up)
- tricking (out)
- furbelowing
- pearling
- gemming
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stripping
- displaying
- disfiguring
- streamlining
- spoiling
- exposing
- marring
- scarring
- revealing
- simplifying
- defacing
- baring
- denuding
- dismantling
- uncovering
- blemishing
- divesting
- uglifying
3
as in polishing
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure dress the granite block to be used as the headstone on all four sides Synonyms & Similar Words
- polishing
- rubbing
- smoothing
- coating
- furbishing
- glossing
- scrubbing
- shining
- burnishing
- grinding
- scraping
- buffing
- glazing
- finishing
- filing
- sanding
- varnishing
- bobbing
- slicking
- lacquering
- facing
- smoothening
- veneering
- brightening
- sleeking
- boning
- sandblasting
- japanning
- sandpapering
- scouring
- lapping
- rasping
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ruffling
- scuffing (up)
- roughening
- roughing (up)
4
as in clothing
to outfit with clothes and especially fine or special clothes dressed the young girl in satin and lace Synonyms & Similar Words
- clothing
- attiring
- costuming
- draping
- gowning
- wrapping
- robing
- garbing
- toileting
- suiting
- garmenting
- furnishing
- appareling
- enrobing
- vesturing
- arraying
- outfitting
- bedecking
- habiting
- apparelling
- frocking
- uniforming
- caparisoning
- tailoring
- jacketing
- dressing up
- getting up
- investing
- equipping
- doing up
- underdressing
- cloaking
- swaddling
- swathing
- togging (up or out)
- huddling
- decking (out)
- rigging (out)
- mantling
- habilitating
- vesting
- happing
- enswathing
- dressing down
- accoutering
- bedighting
- accoutring
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- undressing
- stripping
- disrobing
- unclothing
- denuding
- uncovering
- disarraying
- untrussing
- unveiling
- divesting
- undraping
5
as in costuming
to put on one's best or formal clothes we don't usually dress for dinner Synonyms & Similar Words
- clothing
- costuming
- suiting
- primping
- dressing up
- accessorizing
- attiring
- decking
- prinking
- dolling up
- robing
- preening
- garbing
- garmenting
- appareling
- investing
- arraying
- caparisoning
- bedizening
- bedecking
- apparelling
- smartening (up)
- togging (out or up)
- rigging (out)
- duding (up)
6
as in growing
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care dress the beans by applying fertilizer once a week Synonyms & Similar Words
- growing
- cultivating
- planting
- harvesting
- producing
- cropping
- promoting
- raising
- rearing
- tending
- breeding
- culturing
- propagating
- sowing
- gathering
- reaping
- sprouting
- ripening
- rooting
- gleaning
- germinating
- quickening
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- killing
- picking
- digging
- cutting
- plucking
- pulling (up)
- mowing
- uprooting
- extirpating
- haying