Meaning & use
pleated
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“pleated” is a form of “pleat”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Folded into regular flat creases that are pressed or sewn in place, usually describing cloth.
Grammar: Usually before a noun: a pleated skirt.
Patterns
- a pleated skirt
- pleated trousers
She wore a pleated skirt that swung when she walked.
The pleated lampshade cast a soft light on the table.
He bought pleated trousers for the formal dinner.
verbtransitive
Past tense and past participle of pleat: made folds in cloth or paper.
Grammar: Takes an object: she pleated the curtain.
Patterns
- pleat something
The tailor pleated the fabric along the waistband.
She pleated the paper into a fan.
The curtains had been pleated by hand.
Word forms
| base form | pleat |
|---|---|
| third person singular | pleats |
| -ing form | pleating |
Common combinations
- pleated skirt
- The school uniform includes a gray pleated skirt.
- pleated trousers
- He prefers pleated trousers for comfort.
- pleated shade
- A pleated shade softened the lamp's glare.
- neatly pleated
- The napkins were neatly pleated and placed on the plates.
- pleated curtains
- Pleated curtains hung from the tall windows.
Synonyms and how they differ
- folded
- Folded is a general word for bent over, while pleated means folded into a regular, repeated pattern.
- creased
- Creased often means accidentally wrinkled, but pleated folds are deliberate and neat.
- ruffled
- Ruffled describes gathered frills with a wavy edge, whereas pleated folds lie flat and crisp.
- gathered
- Gathered cloth is bunched with thread in soft irregular fullness, while pleats are sharp and even.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: pleated or pleaded?
pleated vs pleaded
Pleaded is the past of plead, to beg or make a legal claim, and has no connection to cloth.
Practice
A skirt with regular, flat, pressed folds is described as ...
Choose one answer.
Pleated means folded into regular creases. Frayed means worn at the edges, patched means mended, and faded means lost color.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pleated”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.