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
The R groups are attached to the carbons and extend above and below the folds of the pleat.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
And if I’m ever desperate for a sharp pleat, well, there’s always the dry cleaner for that.
From Slate ● Mar. 11, 2021
Rahel remembered the incident that made Lenin swim into focus as a Real Person for her and Estha, when they stopped regarding him as just another pleat in his mother’s sari.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
She wears a vibrant pink getup — a vintage top and Issey Miyake pants — complete with small pleats and optimal for the unavoidable August heat wave.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 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
Ranee gazes at the three faces that used to gather around her table every evening and fingers the pleats of her white widow's sari.
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
I was fascinated by the design and by the way the fabric was pleated.
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
Osaka arrived on Court Suzanne Lenglen with a black corset and cascading pleated skirt that swept dramatically over the red clay.
From BBC ● May 26, 2026
She’s wearing oversize sunglasses, a crisp collared shirt, an even crisper pleated navy skirt and leopard-print pumps.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026
When they gave her the pleated skirt, they made a cheerleader they never imagined.
From "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli
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
Sullivan may remove and refinish lace, add pleating, redesign a dress as a jumpsuit or completely remake the top of a gown.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 30, 2021
Together they spread the fabric across the table, turning it, unfolding its pleating and cuffs, examining the intricate stitches and the scenes they created.
From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry
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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.
