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Prepositions after verbs

clothe in or clothe with?

Clothe in is used for the clothes or covering someone wears. Clothe with is used mainly in figurative language for qualities, powers, or features.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with clothe?

Use clothe in when talking about garments or physical covering: clothe the children in warm coats. Use clothe with mostly in figurative contexts: clothe the story with mystery.

The nurses were clothed in white uniforms.
The report was clothed with technical language.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
clothe in + clothes/material

Showing what someone is wearing

Clothe in introduces clothing, fabric, or physical covering.

The actors were clothed in silk robes.
She clothed the baby in a soft blanket.
2
clothe with + quality/feature

Adding a figurative quality

Clothe with is used figuratively for emotion, meaning, style, or authority.

The speech was clothed with dignity.
The legend is clothed with mystery.
3
be clothed in + appearance

Describing someone's appearance

Be clothed in often appears in formal or literary descriptions.

The statue was clothed in gold and red fabric.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
clothe in
They clothed the hikers in waterproof gear.
standard for clothing or physical covering
clothe with
The novel is clothed with symbolism.
mainly figurative; adds qualities or features
clothe by
The children were clothed by volunteers.
by introduces the agent, not the clothing
clothe into
The phrase clothe into is not idiomatic in standard English.
nonstandard combination

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using with for ordinary clothing

For actual garments, in is usually the natural choice.

✕ The guards were clothed with black uniforms. ✓ The guards were clothed in black uniforms.

Confusing the agent with the covering

By names the person doing the action, not the thing worn.

✕ She clothed the child by a jacket. ✓ She clothed the child in a jacket.

Using clothe with concrete clothes in everyday English

With sounds literary or unnatural for ordinary clothing.

✕ He was clothed with jeans and boots. ✓ He was clothed in jeans and boots.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The performers were clothed ___ silver costumes.
2. The story is clothed ___ religious symbolism.
3. The refugees were clothed ___ warm blankets before the storm.

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Frequently asked questions

Is clothe in formal?

It is common in formal and literary English, though dress in is more common in everyday speech.

Can clothe with describe real clothes?

It can appear in literary writing, but standard modern English usually prefers clothe in for actual clothing.

What is a common alternative to clothe?

Dress is the most common everyday alternative, as in dress the child in a coat.

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