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dressy

C2
Uncommon

Pronunciation

UK

  • /drˈɛsi/

US

  • /ˈdrɛsi/

Meanings

Adjective

  1. smart, formal, or elegant in clothing style

Beyond the definition

"Dressy" describes clothes that look smart, stylish, and a little more formal than everyday wear. It fits special situations like parties, weddings, date nights, or a nice dinner out. A dressy outfit shows that someone made an effort to look polished and neat. The word can also describe a person's style if they usually choose clothes that look more elegant than casual ones. It does not always mean fully formal, but it does mean more dressed up than normal.

Examples

  1. 1

    Party outfit

    She wore a dressy black top to the dinner party.

  2. 2

    Restaurant dress code

    The restaurant isn't very dressy, so jeans are fine.

  3. 3

    Work clothes

    I like these shoes, but they feel too dressy for work.

    • Patterntoo dressy for + place/occasion

      more formal or fancy than is suitable for it

  4. 4

    Wedding outfit

    We need something dressy enough for a wedding but still comfortable.

    • Patterndressy enough for + event

      suitable in style for that event

See also

Similar

Shades of meaning

Contrast

Used with (collocations)

  • dressy clothes
  • dressy casual
  • too dressy
  • dressy shoes

Word family

Explore

  • dress code
  • semi-formal

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • dressyadjective