outfit

American  

[out-fit] / ˈaʊtˌfɪt /

noun

outfits plural

1. an assemblage of articles that equip a person for a particular task, role, trade, etc..

   an explorer's outfit.

   Synonyms:

   kit

2. a set of usually matching or harmonious garments and accessories worn together; coordinated costume; ensemble.

   a new spring outfit.

3. a set of articles for any purpose.

   a cooking outfit.

   Synonyms:

   kit

4. a group associated in an undertaking requiring close cooperation, as a military unit.

5. a business firm engaged in a particular form of commercial enterprise.

   a construction outfit.

6. any company, party, or set.

7. the act of fitting out or equipping for any purpose, as for a voyage, journey, or expedition.

8. mental, physical, or moral equipment.

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verb (used with object)

outfits, present (3rd person singular) outfitted, past participle, past outfitting present participle

1. to furnish with an outfit, equipment, etc.; fit out; equip.

   to outfit an expedition to the South Pole.

   Synonyms:

   rig, supply, appoint

2. Nautical. to finish equipping (a vessel) at a dock.

verb (used without object)

outfits, present (3rd person singular) outfitted, past participle, past outfitting present participle

1. to furnish oneself with an outfit.

outfit British  

/ ˈaʊtˌfɪt /

noun

1. a set of articles or equipment for a particular task, occupation, etc

2. a set of clothes, esp a carefully selected one

3. informal any group or association regarded as a cohesive unit, such as a military company, business house, etc

4. the act of fitting out

5. (formerly) the annual shipment of trading goods and supplies sent by a fur company to its trading posts

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verb

1. to furnish or be furnished with an outfit, equipment, etc

Usage

What does outfit mean? Outfit commonly means a set of clothes, especially when they have been designed or carefully selected to be worn together. Outfit can also be used as a term for a company, organization, or group that works closely together. As a verb, it means to provide with the proper equipment. Example: Oh, I just love your outfit—I would have never thought to mix a flower pattern with a leopard print.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• outfitter
  noun
• preoutfit
  verb (used with object)
• reoutfit
  verb (used with object)

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• outfits
  plural

Participles

• outfitting
  present
• outfitted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• outfit
  simple
• outfits
  simple
• have outfitted
  perfect
• has outfitted
  perfect
• am outfitting
  progressive
• are outfitting
  progressive
• is outfitting
  progressive
• have been outfitting
  perfect progressive
• has been outfitting
  perfect progressive

Past

• outfitted
  simple
• had outfitted
  perfect
• was outfitting
  progressive
• were outfitting
  progressive
• had been outfitting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will outfit
  simple
• will have outfitted
  perfect
• will be outfitting
  progressive
• will have been outfitting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of outfit

First recorded in 1755–65; out- + fit ¹

Explanation

You can use the noun outfit to mean clothes that go together, like a shirt and pants that you always wear to job interviews. You might have spent hours choosing your first-day-of-school outfit. An outfit is often selected for a special occasion, like a graduation outfit, an outfit for your cousin's party, or your rodeo outfit. An outfit is also a kit or set of tools that serve a specific purpose, and as a verb it means "provide with" or "equip." A girl scout leader, for example, will outfit her troops with water and sunblock for a long hike on a sunny summer day.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

outfit outfits outfitted outfitting

When asked about his ambitions, Dipke, who previously worked with the opposition Aam Aadmi Party as a communications strategist, stressed he does not intend to turn the movement into a political outfit.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

It was really wonderful to see the anticipation on everyone’s face in the crew about what outfit I was going to show up in and what wild thing I was going to say.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Buying a new dress, suit or other formal outfit for each wedding just isn’t in our budget.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026

This wasn’t a timid outfit in their Waldo jerseys—this team went out and took it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

"She wears the neatest denim outfit and cowboy boots!"

From "Sleepover Sleuths: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #1" by Carolyn Keene

If you ask my fiancé, I was hunting for outfits and last-minute I was like, “I’m just gonna order something on Amazon.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

In my case, swapping out jackets or ties or wearing the same suit with different-color shirts are easy ways to reuse pieces without repeating outfits.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 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

Guests may not know whether outsiders will see their outfits, and may dress less for the public and more for other guests.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

Nadine’s mom is a celebrity stylist, so Nadine wears the most fashionable outfits out of anyone in this school.

From "Watch Us Rise" by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan

The aforementioned “wig room” has been outfitted with an enormous mirror and a built-in vanity perfect for trying on different styles—however a future occupant could easily use this space as a flex room or office.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026

Defense contractors have outfitted strike weapons and interceptors with layers of sophisticated electronics to hit targets and thwart enemy countermeasures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

As his star rose, he attracted amused attention with his Manhattan penthouse and Palm Beach compound, both outfitted to the gills in golden decor.

From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026

The upper stage is to deploy a payload of 20 mock satellites and two "specially modified Starlink satellites" outfitted with cameras, which will analyze the spacecraft's heat shield.

From Barron's ● May 21, 2026

Nearly everyone from taxi drivers to sanitation workers had been outfitted in some kind of smart new uniform.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Modernizing the department’s aging computer systems, outfitting officers with body cameras and purchases of new drones were all paid for through charitable donations in recent decades.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

With hyperscalers locked in an arms race to secure data-center capacity, outfitting those data centers quickly is how neoclouds win business.

From Barron's ● May 13, 2026

To crank up production, both of Philly Shipyard’s dry docks will be used for new builds, rather than reserving one for final outfitting and commissioning.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2025

Earlier this year, Nike was criticized for outfitting Major League Baseball players in uniforms that didn’t cover much at all.

From Slate ● Dec. 28, 2024

He spent much of his time outfitting his hotel.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson