Meaning & use
evening gown
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A long, formal dress worn by a woman on special occasions.
Grammar: Countable: you can say an evening gown or evening gowns. It is more formal than a party dress.
Patterns
- wear an evening gown
- in an evening gown
- a long evening gown
She wore a red evening gown to the awards ceremony.
The bride's mother chose a simple evening gown.
He bought her an evening gown for the charity ball.
nouncountable
A formal dress for evening events, often made of silk or satin and sometimes floor-length.
Grammar: Often used in the plural when talking about a store's collection: the shop sells evening gowns.
Patterns
- evening gowns
- a collection of evening gowns
- design an evening gown
The designer showed a collection of evening gowns in Paris.
She rented an evening gown instead of buying one.
The dress code says evening gowns are required.
Word forms
| plural | evening gowns |
|---|
Common combinations
- a long evening gown
- She chose a long evening gown in dark blue.
- wear an evening gown
- Guests are asked to wear an evening gown or a tuxedo.
- an elegant evening gown
- The actress arrived in an elegant evening gown.
- evening gown rental
- Evening gown rental is popular before graduation.
Synonyms and how they differ
- formal dress
- Formal dress is a general term; evening gown is more specific and usually means a long dress for evening events.
- ball gown
- A ball gown is a very full, formal dress for a ball; an evening gown can be any formal evening dress.
Word family
- gown noun
- A long dress or a loose robe worn for special purposes.
Commonly confused: evening gown or nightgown? evening gown or wedding dress?
evening gown vs nightgown
A nightgown is sleepwear; an evening gown is formal clothing for going out.
evening gown vs wedding dress
A wedding dress is worn by a bride at her wedding; an evening gown is for other formal events.
Practice
Which sentence uses evening gown correctly?
Choose one answer.
An evening gown is a formal dress for special occasions, so option 2 fits. Option 0 describes sleepwear (nightgown), option 1 is unusual because evening gowns are typically worn by women, and option 3 contradicts the meaning of formal.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “evening gown”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.