pleat

8 synonyms for pleat, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A fold pressed or stitched into cloth to shape a garment or add fullness, made by doubling the fabric back on itself.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

gather

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

fold tuck

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

crease plait crimp plicate ruffle

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A fold pressed or stitched into cloth to shape a garment or add fullness, made by doubling the fabric back on itself.

“The skirt fell in sharp pleats from the waistband.”

fold crease tuck gather plait

2. verb

To fold cloth into pleats and fix them in place by pressing or sewing.

“The dressmaker pleated the bodice so it would sit flat across the chest.”

fold crimp gather tuck plicate ruffle

How to use pleat

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

box pleat knife pleat pleated skirt inverted pleat pleat front trousers

Neutral and everyday; the standard word in sewing, tailoring and fashion writing.

Etymology

A variant of plait, from Old French pleit, ultimately from Latin plicare meaning 'to fold'.

Full origin of pleat →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a pleat and a plait?

A pleat is a fold in fabric, while a plait (in British English) is hair or material woven together in three or more strands — what Americans call a braid. The two words share an origin, which is why they look so similar, but in modern use they describe completely different things.

What is a box pleat?

A box pleat is made by folding fabric away from itself on both sides so that the pleat sticks out in a flat, squared shape. It adds volume without clinging, which is why it is common on school skirts and curtains.

What is the difference between a pleat and a dart?

A pleat is a fold that hangs loose below the point where it is fixed, adding fullness. A dart is a wedge of fabric stitched shut to remove fullness and make a garment curve to the body.

People also searched

gather fold tuck crease plicate crimp plait ruffle

Nearby words

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