Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

trousers

American  
[trou-zerz] / ˈtraʊ zərz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)
  1. Also called pants.  Sometimes a usually loose-fitting outer garment for the lower part of the body, having individual leg portions that reach typically to the ankle but sometimes to any of various other points from the upper leg down.

  2. pantalets.


trousers British  
/ ˈtraʊzəz /

plural noun

  1. a garment shaped to cover the body from the waist to the ankles or knees with separate tube-shaped sections for both legs

  2. US equivalent: wear the pantsinformal to have control, esp in a marriage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of trousers

1585–95; trouse (variant of trews ) + (draw)ers (in the sense “undergarment with legs”)

Compare meaning

How does trousers compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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.

Longmore says the tracksuit is "ticking all the boxes", made with recycled materials and "super trending" tapered-leg trousers.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026

Poised behind a lectern, in a silver silk top and matching trousers, Kirk explained that feminism teaches women to “reject the very things that make womanhood unique.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

"Even though it's not that perfect, there are still parts of it that surprised me," such as folding a pair of trousers "quite well", she said.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

Each participant must wear trousers, with straw available for them to create a layer of padding on their shins.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

Tucked into the waistband of his trousers was a garment.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "trousers" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com