as in dresses
to place on one's person
she donned her best gown for the ball
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Recent Examples of dons
Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Later, the host dons a hard hat to tour a multi-billion-dollar, decades-long project that will ease freight and passenger train bottlenecks with new bridges and underpasses.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
But in the end, the gang manages to trick Soldier Boy into going for an empty tube while Frenchie dons a gas mask and pours out the virus.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Alone and grieving the death of his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), Peter dons a new comic-accurate red-and-blue suit and sets off once again to save the day.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
New York City — deliciously camp and jarringly nostalgic, especially when Bateman dons his signature Walkman.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Phoenix dons makeup and transforms, taking a disturbed disaster of a stand-up comedian down the dark and dangerous path to being a killer clown.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Mader's is filled with Old-World charm from the outside to the dining room, an ornate space with Bavarian decor and a waitstaff that dons dirndls and lederhosen.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
The look in question was from the March 10, 1997 pilot episode ‘Welcome to the Hellmouth’, in which Buffy dons a blue button-down top over a white tank top, complete with a messy updo and wispy bangs.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
Victoria Beckham dons a pale pink gown and speaks during the 2026 TIME100 Summit at Lincoln Center on April 22 in New York City.
—Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Later, the host dons a hard hat to tour a multi-billion-dollar, decades-long project that will ease freight and passenger train bottlenecks with new bridges and underpasses.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
But in the end, the gang manages to trick Soldier Boy into going for an empty tube while Frenchie dons a gas mask and pours out the virus.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Alone and grieving the death of his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), Peter dons a new comic-accurate red-and-blue suit and sets off once again to save the day.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
New York City — deliciously camp and jarringly nostalgic, especially when Bateman dons his signature Walkman.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Phoenix dons makeup and transforms, taking a disturbed disaster of a stand-up comedian down the dark and dangerous path to being a killer clown.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Mader's is filled with Old-World charm from the outside to the dining room, an ornate space with Bavarian decor and a waitstaff that dons dirndls and lederhosen.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
The look in question was from the March 10, 1997 pilot episode ‘Welcome to the Hellmouth’, in which Buffy dons a blue button-down top over a white tank top, complete with a messy updo and wispy bangs.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dons
Verb
-
Men in jackets and pressed slacks drift through the hallways with equally elegant ladies on their arms; when dinner time arrives, everyone dresses for the occasion, as did the generations of guests before them.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Betty, attempting to paper over her unthinkable loss, dresses Laura in her daughter’s clothes, gives her her daughter’s place at family meals, has her daughter’s bike fixed to Laura’s height.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The professors are outstanding, the research cutting-edge, the campus stunning.—
Theo Baker,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The professors said that after their arrests, they were targeted by threats and harassment, part of a pushback by conservatives who said universities were failing to protect Jewish students from antisemitism and allowing lawlessness.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There’s infectious joy and wonder as the Eridian who will come to be known as Rocky begins communicating with Ryland, at first with rudimentary signals and then with more complex language once Ryland rigs a translation device.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Lawyers and doctors can lose their licenses to practice, insider traders can be barred from the financial industry, public officials stripped of committee assignments, and dangerous speeding drivers should have their bad habit curbed.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Colombia’s Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences said specialists including dentists, anthropologists and forensic doctors are identifying the victims.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are no deans or Title IX officers intervening.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Pageants, deans' lists, graduations or military enlistments are not accepted.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Taught by friendly, professional instructors, the classes are designed for beginners and run step-by-step.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Meurice has trained around 150 instructors in the protocol across Australia, Canada, France, Switzerland and Malaysia.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hollywood puts on hundreds of events each year — premieres, galas and FYC events — and the majority of the time those red carpets are not recycled.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Last week, the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, which puts on the annual Swedish Days festival, announced that the parade traditionally held on the final day of the celebration would be paused this year.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The platform compares plans based on usage and clarifies performance and speed requirements so users can pick a long-term plan that suits their household.—
Wyles Daniel,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Customers can also upload an image — for example showing their outfit, or the weather — for a menu item that suits their mood.—
Erin Clements,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dons. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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