Meaning & use
pleats
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“pleats” is a form of “pleat”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
Folds sewn or pressed into cloth so that the fabric lies flat in neat, regular layers.
Grammar: The plural of pleat: the skirt has deep pleats.
Patterns
- pleats in something
- pleats on a skirt
The school skirt has sharp pleats that keep their shape after washing.
She pressed the pleats with a hot iron before the party.
Wide pleats in the curtains give the room a soft look.
verbtransitive
Makes folds in fabric by pressing or sewing it into regular layers.
Grammar: Takes an object: she pleats the fabric. Third person singular of pleat.
Patterns
- pleat something
- pleat something at the waist
The tailor pleats the fabric at the waist to add shape.
She pleats the paper into a small fan.
He pleats the edge of the dough around the pie.
Word forms
| singular | pleat |
|---|---|
| past tense | pleated |
| -ing form | pleating |
Common combinations
- box pleats
- The dress has box pleats at the back.
- knife pleats
- Knife pleats all face the same direction.
- iron the pleats
- I had to iron the pleats before the school photo.
- pleats at the waist
- The trousers have two pleats at the waist.
- sharp pleats
- Sharp pleats make the skirt look neat.
Synonyms and how they differ
- folds
- Folds is a general word for any bending of material, while pleats are regular, deliberate folds that are fixed in place.
- creases
- Creases are lines left by folding or wear and are often unwanted, whereas pleats are a planned part of the design.
- gathers
- Gathers are small bunched folds made by pulling a thread, which look softer than flat, regular pleats.
- tucks
- Tucks are narrow stitched folds used for shaping, and they are usually smaller than pleats.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: pleats or plates? pleats or pleas?
pleats vs plates
Plates are dishes. The vowel and spelling differ from pleats, which are folds in cloth.
pleats vs pleas
Pleas are earnest requests and sound exactly like pleats without the t.
Practice
The tailor pressed the ____ so the skirt would hang in neat, regular folds.
Choose one answer.
Pleats are the regular folds in fabric. Plates and pleas are similar-sounding words with other meanings, and creeks are small streams.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pleats”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.