in drag

Idioms

Wearing clothes normally worn by the opposite sex, as in All of the actors in the revue were in drag. This expression originally alluded to male actors wearing women's apparel on stage, especially for comic purposes, but also refers to cross-dressing by homosexuals. [Colloquial; c. 1870]

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.

Oh, and there he was dancing again, in drag, in Sabrina Carpenter’s “Tears” video.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

It is amusing to see young Reubens in drag as a kid at Halloween, or playing a Cher-inspired mermaid in a video he made while at college.

From Salon • Jan. 30, 2025

James was widely praised for their decision, with one person on X saying that "'The Vivienne skating as James and not in drag in itself is inspiring".

From BBC • Jan. 5, 2025

One of the series' standout moments was when La Voix's dad Richard joined her for the family resemblance challenge, where the queens are tasked with putting a loved one in drag.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 2024

The Fierros were there to see a friend of their daughter, Kassy, perform in drag.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023