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Meaning & use

disrobed

verb·Advancedformal

Last updated

UK/ˌdɪsˈrəʊbd/
US/ˌdɪsˈroʊbd/

“disrobed” is a form of “disrobe”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. verbtransitive or intransitiveformal

    Took off clothes, especially formal or outer garments; the past tense and past participle of disrobe.

    Grammar: Can take an object or stand alone: he disrobed; she disrobed the child.

    Patterns

    • disrobed for something
    • disrobed someone

    The patient disrobed behind the curtain and put on a gown.

    Swimmers disrobed quickly and ran into the water.

    He disrobed and hung his suit carefully in the closet.

  2. verbtransitive or intransitiveformal

    Removed a ceremonial robe or official garment, often as a sign of leaving a position.

    Grammar: Often about judges, priests or officials: the judge disrobed after the trial.

    Patterns

    • disrobed after something

    The judge disrobed and left the courtroom.

    The priest disrobed in the vestry after the service.

    The graduates disrobed once the ceremony was finished.

Word forms

base formdisrobe
third person singulardisrobes
-ing formdisrobing

Common combinations

quickly disrobed
The guests quickly disrobed and jumped into the lake.
disrobed for the exam
She disrobed for the exam and put on a gown.
disrobed behind a screen
He disrobed behind a screen.
disrobed and bathed
The traveler disrobed and bathed in the stream.

Synonyms and how they differ

undressed
Undressed is the normal everyday word and sounds less formal than disrobed.
stripped
Stripped suggests removing clothes quickly, sometimes fully, and can sound more blunt.
took off
Took off works for any specific item, while disrobed refers to clothing generally.
changed
Changed means replacing clothes with others, not simply taking them off.

Opposites

dressedrobed

Word family

disrobe verb
to take off clothing
robe noun
a long loose garment
disrobing noun
the act of removing clothing
unrobe verb
an older word meaning to disrobe

Commonly confused: disrobed or disrupted?

disrobed vs disrupted

Disrupted means interrupted or thrown into disorder, and sounds slightly similar but is unrelated to clothing.

Practice

Before the examination, the patient ___ behind a curtain and put on a hospital gown.

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