attired; attiring
Synonyms of attire

transitive verb

: to put garments on : dress, array
… proceeded to attire herself for a professional visit.—Charles Dickens
The guests were formally attired. [=wearing formal clothing]
especially : to clothe in fancy or rich garments
dancers attired in colorful costumes

attire

2 of 2

noun

1
: dress, clothes
business attire
especially : splendid or decorative clothing
the queen in her royal attire
2
: the antlers or antlers and scalp of a stag or buck

Examples of attire in a Sentence

Verb men attired in tuxedos for the awards banquet Noun Proper attire is required at the restaurant. needed some snazzy attire for the job interview
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.
Verb
At the age of 93 in 2018, Saint, who had been so memorably attired in her classic films, appeared at the 90th Academy Awards ceremony to present the Oscar for Best Costume Design (Phantom Thread won). — Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026 Always elegantly attired, always thirsty, never drunk. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
Noun
All in all, the look was par for the course for Roan, well-known for her penchant for eye-catching attire. — Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2026 While there were some breathtaking gowns on display, these ready-to-wear pieces could easily be selected as the bridal attire for the entire wedding weekend. — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for attire

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French atirer to equip, prepare, attire, from a- (from Latin ad-) + tire order, rank, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English tīr glory, ornament

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of attire was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attire. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

attire

1 of 2 verb
attired; attiring
: to put clothes and especially special or fine clothes on

attire

2 of 2 noun
: clothing sense 1
especially : fine clothes

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