costume 1 of 3

1
as in clothes
clothing chosen as appropriate for a specific situation a tuxedo is the only acceptable costume for men attending a formal event

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2
as in mask
clothing put on to hide one's true identity or imitate someone or something else Halloween costumes that caricature some of the "celebrities" created by the media over the past year

Synonyms & Similar Words

costume

2 of 3

verb

costume

3 of 3

adjective

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of costume
Noun
And then, there’s a lot of other people behind the scenes, like stage managers and lights and set designers and costume people. Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 4 June 2025 Other shows trended down in their grosses and attendance last week, including Boop The Musical, which scored a Tony nomination for its lead actress as well as for costume design and choreography, but missed out on the coveted best musical nomination. Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
Verb
Her setlist consisted of over 25 songs, 13 costume changes, multiple genre switches and a total runtime of about two hours and 5 minutes. Olivia Petty, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025 His body will soon don unusual costumes for his drag persona, which seduces with looks that highlight his silhouette. Billboard Brasil, Billboard, 26 June 2025
Adjective
Doing so entailed spending $150,000 in first-year start-up costs like costuming and sound equipment, creating everything from backing tracks to background visuals, booking 100-plus gigs and swiftly quitting her wealth management job. Leena Tailor, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025 The same goes for the dance numbers, which were costumed to the gods by Alejo Vietti. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for costume
Recent Examples of Synonyms for costume
Noun
  • Keep scrolling to shop for more dresses on sale during Amazon Prime Day.
    Averi Baudler, People.com, 10 July 2025
  • The Drop Women’s Britt Tiered Maxi Tent Dress As soon as the weather turns hot, I can’t be bothered to wear anything other than a breathable maxi dress, and The Drop Women’s Britt Tiered Maxi Tent Dress is perhaps one of my favorites.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • For now, the line between person and program is still visible—most of us can see the code beneath the mask.
    Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
  • Some argue the system masks true performance and fails to show the public that many students are struggling to master key academic subjects.
    Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • Much of the discussion has fixated on an incident that occurred last week in downtown Los Angeles in which a woman named Andrea Guadalupe Velez was detained by agents clad in bulletproof vests with gaiters over their faces.
    Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025
  • Evans stood next to a small boat, clad in waders and helpless to stop the rising waters.
    Keisha Rowe, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • The bags come in pink and black stripes and a camouflage adorned with florals.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
  • The British soldiers fought in red uniforms with orderly precision and methodical execution; Marion fought in camouflage from trees and bushes.
    Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Catmull enters attired in a black gown lined with sparkling contours that recall the sinuous figures of artist and designer Erté.
    Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
  • Beside him was Janet, his second wife, who was two decades younger and smartly attired in shades, a plaid sunhat, and a sleeveless blouse.
    Alec Nevala-Lee June 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
Adjective
  • Finding pants that look dressy enough for work and are secretly comfortable, too, is no easy feat — but leave it to Amazon shoppers to get the job done.
    Emily Weaver, People.com, 10 July 2025
  • Which explains why the first Potlatch’s general manager wore dressy Scottish kilts (supposedly he was hired because of his finesse for playing backgammon and bridge).
    Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • His mother-in-law, dressed in traditional garb, had traveled in from Liberia for the event.
    Hannah Dreyfus, AZCentral.com, 5 July 2025
  • Alcaraz came out looking the part in garb not dissimilar to the great Roger Federer’s whiter than white cardigan range.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • The addition of countries such as Egypt and Ethiopia has meant that BRICS has increasingly taken on the guise of the Global South forum.
    Jorge Heine, The Conversation, 7 July 2025
  • Purified and reclaimed, these guises can take their place next to the other parts of her ever-expanding self-myth.
    Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 2 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Costume.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/costume. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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