plural dress-ups
1
: a time or occasion for which fancy or formal clothing is worn
Miller used to favor high-necked lace blouses for dress-up and fishing hats for play.—Curry Kirkpatrick
Marla feels comfiest in jeans and sweats but likes soft beiges for dress-up.—People Weekly
Also like their parents, children want a wardrobe that is suitable for a variety of activities: play, school and dress-up.—Andrea Skinner
2
: a game or activity (as for children) that involves dressing up in special clothing or costumes
Most young children like to play dress-up, parading around the house in their dad's wing tips or smearing their mom's lipstick all over their face.—Christine Gorman
Nina was petite but too muscular to wear her mother's cast-off Chanel. She was like a girl playing dress-up.—Tom Jenks
I drew pictures with her and played dress-up with our mother's party gowns.—Lorene Cary
So get in the spirit with these costume parties, haunted tours, pet dress-ups, … and haunted houses.—Cincinnati.com
dressed up; dressing up; dresses up
1
: to make more attractive, glamorous, or fancy
dress up a plain dessert with a rich chocolate sauce
2
a
: to attire in best or formal clothes
b
: to attire in clothes suited to a particular role
3
: to present in the most attractive or impressive light
a fiasco dressed up as a triumph
: to get dressed up
Cite this Entry
“Dress-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dress-up. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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