What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
clothe
Example
She helped clothe her baby brother in a warm sweater. [clothe: verb]
Example
The organization aims to clothe the homeless population during the winter. [clothe: verb]
garb
Example
The actors were dressed in medieval garb for the historical play. [garb: noun]
Example
She decided to wear her traditional cultural garb to the festival. [garb: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Clothe is more commonly used than garb in everyday language. Clothe is a more general term that can be used in various situations, while garb is less common and often used in more specific or specialized contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between clothe and garb?
While clothe is considered more neutral in terms of formality and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, garb has a slightly more formal or literary connotation and is often used in more specialized or specific contexts.
