dressy
Americanadjective
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appropriate to somewhat formal occasions.
an outfit that's a little too dressy for office wear.
-
showy in dress; stylish.
a rather dressy reception.
adjective
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(of clothes) elegant
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(of persons) dressing stylishly
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over-elegant
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dressy
Explanation
Something that's dressy is characterized by elegant, expensive, or fancy clothes. You look dressy when you wear a ball gown, high heels, and a tiara on your head. A person can be dressy, and you can also describe the person's outfit as dressy — if it's a tuxedo with a bow tie and cummerbund — or an event as dressy, if it requires you to wear such an outfit. A dressy wedding calls for formal clothing, so you probably shouldn't wear a fisherman's sweater and sandals. Dressy was first used in the 18th century, from dress.
Vocabulary lists containing dressy
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:
Heading back toward Olympic, I enter David Apparel on 1019 Santee St. The menswear collection here is sporty with Gucci-esque matching outfits and dressy shirts emblazoned with lions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2026
I could sense the urgency of a group of women behind me and stepped aside to let them pass; one remarked under her breath that my baseball cap wasn’t dressy enough for the occasion.
From Slate ● Nov. 21, 2023
The collection, which included looks for men and women, featured slouchy trousers and dressy jackets, lightweight overcoats and cotton trousers with elastic waists.
From Reuters ● Jun. 23, 2023
If you’re packing shoes for travel, consider a “sleaker,” the dressy sneaker that works for both city strolls and country treks.
From New York Times ● Jun. 6, 2023
I picked out two matching shirts and a tie, some socks and dressy half boots.
From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos
There were satin lapels for the dressier looks, while an olive green jacket had a slight military flair.
From Reuters ● Jun. 22, 2023
But even in classic black, paired with a dressier ensemble, I've learned that the bucket adds just the right amount of extra, without going overboard.
From Salon ● Apr. 15, 2023
The sumptuous first course is a dressier version of a dish “my mother used to do,” only with herring, says the chef.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 10, 2023
It doesn’t scream “I love fitness” and can be worn on dressier occasions that I’d never wear the Garmin Fenix 7S to.
From The Verge ● Sep. 7, 2022
Joseph Patrick had declared he supposed that other people thought dressier ladies was handsomer, but he preferred Miss Hope!
From "Persons Unknown" by Virginia Tracy
Viewers of Tudor period dramas will know Elizabeth I as history’s dressiest queen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Even at their dressiest, they had a certain fun, comfort connection.
From Salon ● Apr. 10, 2020
Tassel loafers are considered to be the dressiest of loafers and their origins stem from a lace-up dress shoe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2016
Henry Seidel Canby's Thoreau, dressiest biography of him so far, is timely rather than definitive.
From Time Magazine Archive
Though the Nolans lived in the shabbiest house in Irish Town, the boys were the dressiest in the neighborhood.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
