Meaning & use
a sweater
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A warm piece of clothing, usually made of wool or cotton, that covers the upper body and arms.
Grammar: Countable; can be used with 'a' or in the plural. Often worn over a shirt.
Patterns
- wear a sweater
- put on a sweater
- a wool sweater
She put on a sweater because it was cold.
He bought a new sweater for the winter.
The sweater is too small for me.
Word forms
| plural | sweaters |
|---|
Common combinations
- wool sweater
- My grandmother knitted me a wool sweater.
- wear a sweater
- You should wear a sweater to the party; it might be chilly.
- put on a sweater
- He put on a sweater before going outside.
- a warm sweater
- This warm sweater is perfect for snowy days.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: a sweater or sweatshirt?
a sweater vs sweatshirt
A sweatshirt is a loose, often cotton top with long sleeves, usually worn for sports; a sweater is typically knitted and more formal.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'sweater' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A sweater is a piece of clothing, so 'wore a warm sweater' is correct. The other options treat 'sweater' as food, sound, or a vehicle, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a sweater”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.