: a sleeve very wide at the armhole and tight at the wrist often cut in one piece with the bodice
Examples of dolman sleeve in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The dolman sleeve can make anything feel relaxed without looking sloppy.
—
Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
The collar gives it an elevated look beyond a plain T-shirt, and the dolman sleeves give a relaxed, flowy look without being shapeless.
—Robin Raven, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
Both the Zipneck and Crew have interestingly dropped shoulder seams and almost a dolman sleeve underarm that adds style and crossover versatility.
—Lisa Jhung, Outside, 21 Jan. 2026
Of course, Lopez recently embraced the dolman sleeve in its most dramatic, drapey form back in December while promoting her film Unstoppable.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
It’s finished with short dolman sleeves and a longer silhouette that hits right at the thighs on most people.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 25 July 2025
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Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
The collar gives it an elevated look beyond a plain T-shirt, and the dolman sleeves give a relaxed, flowy look without being shapeless.
—Robin Raven, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
Both the Zipneck and Crew have interestingly dropped shoulder seams and almost a dolman sleeve underarm that adds style and crossover versatility.
—Lisa Jhung, Outside, 21 Jan. 2026
Of course, Lopez recently embraced the dolman sleeve in its most dramatic, drapey form back in December while promoting her film Unstoppable.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
It’s finished with short dolman sleeves and a longer silhouette that hits right at the thighs on most people.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dolman sleeve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dolman%20sleeve. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dolman sleeve
noun
dol·man sleeve
ˌdōl-mən- 
ˌdȯl-,
ˌdäl-
: a sleeve that is very wide at the armhole and tight at the wrist
Etymology
from French dolman "a woman's coat with dolman sleeves," derived from Turkish dolama "a robe (in the Turkish style)"
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