Meaning & use
ball gown
Last updated
UK/ˈbɔːl ɡaʊn/
US/ˈbɔːl ɡaʊn/
Meaning
nouncountable
A long, formal dress with a full skirt, worn to a ball or other very formal event.
Grammar: Countable: a ball gown, two ball gowns.
Patterns
- a ball gown for something
She wore a blue ball gown to the charity ball.
The shop sells wedding dresses and ball gowns.
A long satin ball gown swept across the floor.
Word forms
| plural | ball gowns |
|---|
Common combinations
- wear a ball gown
- She will wear a ball gown to the prom.
- silk ball gown
- The silk ball gown shimmered under the lights.
- full-skirted ball gown
- A full-skirted ball gown filled the doorway.
- rent a ball gown
- She decided to rent a ball gown.
Synonyms and how they differ
- evening gown
- Evening gown can be slimmer and simpler, while a ball gown usually has a wide skirt.
- formal gown
- Formal gown is broader and covers any dressy long dress.
- prom dress
- Prom dress is for school dances and may be shorter.
Opposites
casual dress
Word family
Commonly confused: ball gown or cocktail dress?
ball gown vs cocktail dress
A cocktail dress is shorter and less formal than a ball gown.
Practice
Which outfit is most suitable for a very formal ball?
Choose one answer.
A ball gown is made for formal dances. Jeans, a tracksuit and shorts are casual.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ball gown”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.