Clothed is an adjective meaning wearing clothes; covered or dressed, typically with a garment or garments. It describes the state of being clothed as opposed to bare or unclothed. In common usage, it often signals attire appropriate to a context, whether formal or casual, and can imply a completed action (you are clothed).
"She walked into the room, fully clothed and ready for the photoshoot."
"The statue is clothed in a flowing robe."
"During winter, many animals emerge clothed in a thick fur coat."
"The town hall’s guests were clothed in formal attire for the ceremony."
Clothed comes from Middle English clothed, from clothe (to cover or clothe) with the addition of -ed. The root clothe likely derives from Old English claðian or clathian, related to clothing and garment, with parallels in German Kleid (garment) and Dutch kleding. The sense developed from the verb meaning to dress or cover, to the adjective describing the state of being dressed. Over time, the pronunciation underwent the Great Vowel Shift influences, stabilizing the final -ed as /t/ in many dialects when followed by a voiceless consonant, and as /d/ in other contexts. Early appearances appear in legal and domestic texts around the 13th century, with the modern form “clothed” standardized by Early Modern English usage. The word’s semantic field broadened from the act of dressing to the state of being dressed, often used metaphorically (clothed in mystery, etc.). The evolution reflects social norms around dress and modesty, as well as advances in garment construction that made clothing more ubiquitous in everyday life. First known written uses appear in religious and legal manuscripts, illustrating both literal and figurative clothing.
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Words that rhyme with "Clothed"
-ded sounds
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Pronounce as /ˈkloʊðd/ in US and /ˈkləʊðd/ in UK/AU. The stress falls on the first syllable. Start with the /k/ sound, then the long vowel /oʊ/ (tongue high and back, lips rounded), followed by /ð/ (voiced dental fricative with the tongue between the teeth), and finish with a voiced /d/. In connected speech, the final /d/ can be softly released or partially devoiced: you might hear a subtle alveolar stop release. Audio reference: listen to native speakers saying “clothed” in phrases to hear the sequence.
Common errors: ignoring the final /ð/ and substituting /z/ or /d/; mispronouncing the vowel as a short /o/ instead of /oʊ/; and dropping the final /d/ in rapid speech. Correction tips: ensure the /ð/ is voiced with the tongue touching the upper teeth and a gentle breath; sustain the /oʊ/ as a diphthong, then add a clear /d/ release. Practice with word pairs like ‘clothe’d’ vs ‘clothe’ closely; exaggerate the /ð/ briefly in isolation to anchor the sound. Use slow repetition, then connect with the preceding word for rhythm.”},{
In US English, /ˈkloʊðd/ with rhotic vowel quality; the /oʊ/ diphthong often more centralized and the /ð/ clearly voiced. UK/AU accents commonly use /ˈkləʊðd/ with a more rounded, back rounded /əʊ/ and a strong /ð/; non-rhotic regions may have subtle vowel shortening before /ð/. Australian tends to a broader /əʊ/ similar to UK, with slight vowel height differences and a robust /ð/. Overall, the main differences are vowel quality and stress timing, while the /ð/ and final /d/ remain present in all standard varieties.
Two main challenges: the voiced dental fricative /ð/ is less common in some learners’ native languages, making tongue position and tongue-tip contact tricky; and the /oʊ/ diphthong requires lip rounding and a smooth glide from /o/ to /ʊ/ without breaking the sound. Additionally, the final /d/ can be unreleased in rapid speech, causing confusion with /t/ or silent endings. Focus on precise tongue placement behind the upper teeth for /ð/ and maintain a continuous glide for /oʊ/ before releasing into /d/.
In clothed, the final -ed is pronounced as a voiced /d/ because the final consonant before it (/ð/) is voiced. The sequence leads to a restive, voiced /d/ release: /ˈkloʊðd/. The /t/ pattern occurs after voiceless consonants (e.g., walked /wɔːkt/), but not here. So you should hear a clear /d/ sound at the end, not a t-sound or a separate syllabic /ɪd/ form.
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