1 C1 neutral
Of a garment: to have a row of buttons running all the way from the neckline to the hem.
"She wore a floral button-through dress that she could easily put on over her swimsuit at the beach."
button through
C1 neutral intransitive
Describes a garment (especially a dress or skirt) that has a row of buttons running all the way down the front from top to bottom.
In plain English
A style of clothing where you can undo all the buttons from top to bottom, like a shirt-dress.
What does "button through" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Buttons that go all the way through (from top to bottom).
Actually means
A style of clothing where you can undo all the buttons from top to bottom, like a shirt-dress.
Usage tip
Primarily used as a modifier or descriptor in fashion and clothing contexts: 'a button-through dress', 'button-through skirt'. More common in British English and fashion writing. Not used as a verb phrase in action; it describes a design feature.
Words that pair with "button through"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
dress skirt shirt front style design
How to conjugate "button through"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
button through
I/you/we/they
3rd person
buttons through
he/she/it
Past simple
buttoned through
yesterday
Past participle
buttoned through
have + pp
-ing form
buttoning through
continuous
Hear "button through" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "button through" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "button through"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
button-down button-front full-length buttons shirt-style
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