donning

USAGE SUMMARY

"donning" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it as a verb to mean "to put on (clothing or equipment)". For example: "She donned a long coat to protect herself from the cold wind."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The 'canary' yellow with green side panels somehow made an even greater sight of the brawny specimens donning Australian caps (and also provided a colourful back-drop to the underarm incident, it must be said), while powder blue, maroon, lime green and beige surely reached their zenith.

The Guardian - Sport

For them, pushing boundaries once meant donning colorful outfits and light makeup in the early years after the 1979 revolution.

The Guardian

And while metropolitan hipsters sneer at dweebs, rednecks and "bros" donning UV facepaint and throwing shapes at commercial festivals, Moore is overjoyed to witness their thrill of discovery.

The Guardian - Music

Maybe you will be donning an old lucky shirt for the first game of the new season, or perhaps you have treated yourself to a new kit hoping it might help change your club's fortunes?

The Guardian - Sport

In the same week that Mrs Cameron visited Neasden, the Duchess of Cornwall began an official trip to India with Prince Charles, gracefully donning a number of permutations on the traditional shalwar kameez, to great effect.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

A new, reformist president, Muhammad Khatami, held out the promise of less repressive rules that might one day even allow women to take part in sport without donning the all- enveloping hijab.

The Economist

But ask yourself: is it boring to be Blair and not Barak?Mr Barak's famous exploits include donning a wig and mowing down Israel's enemies in Beirut.

The Economist

The next big surprise In a spin Stealing each other's clothes A shocking denouement A chill in the Alpine air Soap-box salesman ReprintsHaving accidentally landed a job at Unilever he went to support a friend interviewing there Mr FitzGerald was pragmatic about donning a suit.

The Economist

Donning it again before the climactic battle, he explains, "It's kinda grown on me .Drawing heavily on the comics for inspiration, the film-makers have created a fantastic version of the 1940s in which Hitler takes a back seat to his former head of R&D, the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), who has gone freelance after bungling his own experiment in supermanhood.

The Economist

Third, rather than the failed policy of picking winners, governments should encourage winners to emerge by themselves, for example through the sort of incentive prizes that are growing increasingly popular (see article).None of this excites politicians as much as donning hard hats and handing out cash in front of the cameras.

The Economist

The opportunity to learn French is precious, since this is the language of many UN missions.A third reason Bangladeshis delight in donning the blue helmet is prestige.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "donning" when you want a more formal or literary tone than simply "putting on". It often suggests a deliberate or ceremonial act of dressing.

Common error

Avoid using "donning" in very casual settings. Simpler alternatives like "putting on" or "wearing" are often more appropriate for everyday conversation or informal writing.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "donning" is as a present participle, often used in progressive verb forms or as a gerund. Ludwig shows its versatility in describing actions across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

15%

Reference

2%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "donning" is a grammatically correct present participle that describes the act of putting on clothing or equipment, frequently used in news and media, encyclopedias, and formal business contexts. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s a versatile word, often suggesting a deliberate or ceremonial act. While generally neutral to formal, it should be used judiciously in informal settings. Alternatives like "putting on" or "wearing" may be more suitable in casual contexts. The examples provided by Ludwig highlight its use across a broad range of authoritative sources, making it a valuable addition to any writer's vocabulary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

putting on

More direct and less formal than "donning".

wearing

Emphasizes the state of having something on, rather than the act of putting it on.

dressing in

More descriptive and emphasizes the style of clothing.

assuming

Can refer to taking on responsibilities or roles, not just clothing.

slipping into

Suggests ease and speed in putting something on.

getting into

Informal and suggests a process of entering or putting on something.

attiring in

Formal and often used in fashion contexts.

pulling on

Informal, implies a quick or casual action of putting on clothes.

garbing in

More formal and somewhat archaic.

clothing oneself in

More formal and literary.

FAQs

How do I use "donning" in a sentence?

Use "donning" as a verb to describe the act of putting on clothing or equipment, often with a sense of occasion. For example, "The team was ready, donning their helmets before the game."

What can I say instead of "donning"?

You can use alternatives like "putting on", "wearing", or "assuming" depending on the context.

Is it correct to use "donning" to describe putting on abstract things like roles or responsibilities?

While primarily used for physical items like clothing, "donning" can be metaphorically used for assuming a role or responsibility, though this is less common. Using "assuming" might be more appropriate in such cases.

What is the difference between "donning" and "wearing"?

"Donning" refers to the act of putting something on, while "wearing" describes the state of having something on. You "don" a hat, and then you are "wearing" it.