well-dressed
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of well-dressed
First recorded in 1570–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A week later, a well-dressed and well-spoken young woman arrived at the house in Grimsby, calling herself Mrs Baker.
From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026
Now the restaurant has become the epicenter of stylish downtowners coming uptown for opulent dinners where the restaurant’s regulars—older, well-dressed, celebratory—are part of the draw.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 15, 2025
The author lamented that modern cakes — particularly those deemed chic enough for social media or a well-dressed birthday party — had become overwrought and overdesigned.
From Salon • Aug. 2, 2025
A down-and-out man is approached by a mysterious, well-dressed figure who uses a simple kid’s game to test his want of money against his tolerance for pain and humiliation.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2025
The alley was filled with well-dressed ladies in large hats.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
