Pleat is a word for a fold made in fabriccloth or textile material used to make clothes and other items, or the act of making that kind of fold. It is most often used about clothingthings worn on the body, such as shirts, pants, and coats, curtainshanging cloths placed over windows to block light or add privacy, and other sewn materials.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /pliːt/
Easy pronunciation: PLEET (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable, stressed.
Noun sense: a neat fold in cloth.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pleat Meaning
a neat fold in cloth
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a fold in fabric made by doubling the material back on itself and pressing or stitching it into place
Example: The skirt has sharp pleats at the front.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- plait — Can work for a folded fabric structure, though it is less common in everyday fashion language.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Pleat
Meaning 2
to gather fabric into folds
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to pleat or gather fabric into a ruffle
Example: She ruffled the hem of the dress.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- ruffle — Works as a related verb, but it often suggests making something gathered or frilly rather than a precise pleat.
Meaning 3
to make fabric into pleats
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to fold into pleats
Example: The seamstress pleated the curtain fabric before sewing it.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- plicate — A direct synonym in the sense of folding into pleats, though it is formal and uncommon.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pleat Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- plait
verb: to pleat or gather fabric into a ruffle
- ruffle
verb: to fold into pleats
- plicate
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse pleat with plait in hair-related meanings; in this word, pleat is mainly about folded fabric.
- As a verb, pleat usually means to make folds in cloth, not simply to wrinkle or crumple something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does pleat mean?
Pleat means a fold made in fabric, especially a neat fold that is pressed or stitched into shape. It can also mean to make fabric into those folds.
What is a synonym for pleat?
For the noun, a close synonym is plait. For the verb, ruffle and plicate can work in specific senses, but they are not always interchangeable.
Is pleat a noun or a verb?
It can be both. As a noun, it means a fold in fabric. As a verb, it means to fold fabric into pleats or gather it into folds.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
