pleat
Americannoun
-
pleats
plural
verb (used with object)
-
pleats,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pleated,
past participle, past
-
pleating
present participle
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
pleatsimple
-
pleatssimple
-
have pleatedperfect
-
has pleatedperfect
-
am pleatingprogressive
-
are pleatingprogressive
-
is pleatingprogressive
-
have been pleatingperfect progressive
-
has been pleatingperfect progressive
Past
-
pleatedsimple
-
had pleatedperfect
-
was pleatingprogressive
-
were pleatingprogressive
-
had been pleatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pleat
1325–75; Middle English; variant of plait
Explanation
A pleat is a creased fold in fabric. Your long wool coat might have a single pleat in back, down toward the hem. Some pleats are creased sharply, or even stitched firmly in place, while others are looser. The pleats in a little girl's frilly dress or in a skirt that has pleats all the way around might be called "accordion pleats," while a kilt usually has one "box pleat" in the back, with simple "knife pleats" on either side. Pleat is also a verb, meaning "to make or sew a pleat."
Vocabulary lists containing pleat
The House on Mango Street
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Save Me a Seat
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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
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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.
See Examples For:
When you open them there needs to be a pleat, so when you close them there is enough skin to cover the eyeball.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
In addition to changing the lighting and painting the walls, Miranda-Martin prioritized the window treatments, with pinch pleat curtains from Ikea.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
And if I’m ever desperate for a sharp pleat, well, there’s always the dry cleaner for that.
From Slate ● Mar. 11, 2021
It muddies any facile ideas about nature and the human, and prods at how we pleat our prejudices, politics and desires into our notions of the animal world.
From New York Times ● Aug. 18, 2020
His thin hands pleat his trousers as he talks.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
It was the details at Dior that spoke volumes — subtle pop-culture references, the number of pleats on a pair of giant cargo shorts, the messy styling of a necktie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2025
Every meticulous detail — from Anne’s tailored pleats to how each woman eats an apple — is beguiling.
From Salon ● May 2, 2025
Some of the references are inspired by fashion designers, such as Issey Miyake’s pleats, Vivienne Westwood’s and Christian Dior’s fitted jackets and Alexander McQueen’s exaggerated shoulders.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2025
One of them was very demure and mindful - think soft pastels, pussy bow blouses and pleats - as demonstrated by Chanel and Balenciaga.
From BBC ● Dec. 31, 2024
Off Lina went, Sor Socorro straightening her hair ribbons and pulling at the pleats of her uniform to make the skirt fall straight.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
I was fascinated by the design and by the way the fabric was pleated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
A colorful pair of neatly pleated Issey Miyake pants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
On the first day of Haute Couture Week, which featured a star-packed show from Schiaparelli and a galaxy-inspired Iris Van Herpen collection, Anderson sent out a highly wearable selection of heavily textured and pleated outfits.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
He complimented her on her blue pleated skirt and white blouse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026
I was tired of staring down every other girl in my grade who snickered at my pleated wool skirts and Peter Pan collars.
From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia
It will have a modern bohemian—or “boho”—aesthetic, and items are mostly made of natural fabrics like cotton and include more embroidery and pleating details, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Her designs are made using traditional techniques such as pleating and draping and she sources tartan from local fabric mills honouring the "craftsmanship of traditional kiltmaking".
From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2026
Actress and musician Teyana Taylor scored one of the Gala’s best looks early in the night, with a dandified look that took pleating and accessories to the next level.
From Salon ● May 6, 2025
Goutham — his hand moving steadily — was pleating a green silk sari to adorn the deity.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2023
Now I drift over to the counter displaying boring shirtwaists: rows and rows of white blouses with every imaginable variation of button or no button, lace or pleating.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
