often attributive
1
: a point or extension of land jutting out into water as a peninsula or as a projecting point
2
often capitalized
: cape cod cottage
1
: a sleeveless outer garment or part of a garment that fits closely at the neck and hangs loosely over the shoulders
2
: the short feathers covering the shoulders of a fowl see duck illustration
caped; caping; capes
1
intransitive
: to act as a defender or supporter
—usually used with for
[Billie] Eilish, for one, has been caping for the environment for years now, decreeing Gen-Z the saviors of the earth …—
Brenna Ehrlich
Brenna Ehrlich… the players are caping for [Mike] Pegues [basketball coach] and the rest of the staff, and admitting their role in Louisville's struggles to open the season.—Matthew McGavic
Matthew McGavic2
transitive
: to remove the head and the hide of an animal for preserving or mounting as a trophy
For a shoulder mount, most won't be comfortable with caping the deer without risking damage, so it's best to then take it to a professional taxidermist.—kdvr.com
—often used with outkdvr.comThere are different methods for caping an animal out, but the general idea is to remove the skin from the upper half of the body in a single piece.—Eric Barker
Eric BarkerSynonyms
Examples of cape in a Sentence
Noun (1)
residents fled the cape as the hurricane roared up the coast
Noun (2)
the mysterious figure wrapped his cape tightly around his shoulders
Recent Examples on the WebJ.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 10 May 2024
Wearing a long cape and wielding a sword, Tatum poses next to his daughter, who has her arms by her side and stares straight into the camera.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 10 May 2024
And one fan in particular really understood the assignment at the pop star’s first show back in Paris on Thursday night (May 9), sporting a homemade cape showing off her recent Billboard Hot 100 record.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 9 May 2024
But Hollywood and the nation’s movie theaters are finding out what a lack of spandex, capes and other hallmarks of billion-dollar action means for the box office.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2024
Actor Colman Domingo, one of the most stylish men out right now wore a cream Willy Chavarria double-breasted suit with a trailing cape and oversized black pants with the most elegant draping.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 7 May 2024
Back in 2012, Del Rey arrived at the gala wearing a sleek Altuzarra look; her metallic silver gown, complete with a sweetheart neckline, came with a dramatic black cape.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 7 May 2024
Donning a black suit and hat accompanied by a cape, the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show headliner, 45, ascended the steps outside New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art Monday night while holding an accessory that looked like a dripping rose.
—Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 7 May 2024
With brief screen time for a cameo, Jason Momoa manages to both ham it up and show off some impressive combat skills, slinging extraterrestrial guns, swinging the character’s gold cape and delivering inspiring speeches with panache.
—Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 3 May 2024
Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 26 Feb. 2021
See how the people came together to cape for Labelle’s legacy below.
—Keyaira Boone, Essence, 26 Nov. 2020
Noun
Leaving the cape behind for good was hard for Wheeler.
—J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 10 May 2024
Wearing a long cape and wielding a sword, Tatum poses next to his daughter, who has her arms by her side and stares straight into the camera.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 10 May 2024
And one fan in particular really understood the assignment at the pop star’s first show back in Paris on Thursday night (May 9), sporting a homemade cape showing off her recent Billboard Hot 100 record.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 9 May 2024
But Hollywood and the nation’s movie theaters are finding out what a lack of spandex, capes and other hallmarks of billion-dollar action means for the box office.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2024
Actor Colman Domingo, one of the most stylish men out right now wore a cream Willy Chavarria double-breasted suit with a trailing cape and oversized black pants with the most elegant draping.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 7 May 2024
Back in 2012, Del Rey arrived at the gala wearing a sleek Altuzarra look; her metallic silver gown, complete with a sweetheart neckline, came with a dramatic black cape.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 7 May 2024
Donning a black suit and hat accompanied by a cape, the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show headliner, 45, ascended the steps outside New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art Monday night while holding an accessory that looked like a dripping rose.
—Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 7 May 2024
With brief screen time for a cameo, Jason Momoa manages to both ham it up and show off some impressive combat skills, slinging extraterrestrial guns, swinging the character’s gold cape and delivering inspiring speeches with panache.
—Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 3 May 2024
Verb
Rachael's scandal became even more of a major news story after Chris Harrison decided to use his platform to cape for her while simultaneously belittling former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay.
—Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 26 Feb. 2021
See how the people came together to cape for Labelle’s legacy below.
—Keyaira Boone, Essence, 26 Nov. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cape.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cape
Cite this Entry
“Cape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cape. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cape
1 of 2 noun
: a point of land that extends out into the sea or a lake
cape
2 of 2 noun
: a sleeveless garment worn so as to hang over the shoulders, arms, and back
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