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dudes

n. · v.
US //ˈdjudz// UK //djˈuːdz// dudes
  1. 1 men or guys (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal American English Slang

    a casual way to say 'men' or 'guys'.

    plural form of 'dude', referring to a group of men or boys in a casual context.

    Example

    A few dudes were hanging out by the skate park yesterday.

    Example

    The local café was filled with dudes in business suits, all grabbing their morning coffee before heading to the office.
  2. 2 a group of people (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal American English Slang

    a group of people, including both men and women.

    a gender-neutral collective noun used to address or refer to a group of people regardless of their gender identity.

    Example

    Hey dudes, are we ready to go to the beach?

    Example

    She walked into the room and greeted her friends with a casual 'What's up, dudes?', even though the group was mostly women.

    Usage

    Commonly used as a vocative to address a group directly.
  3. 3 dressing up (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Informal Archaic

    to dress in very stylish or fancy clothes.

    to dress in an especially stylish or flamboyant manner, often used with 'up'.

    Example

    He always dudes himself up when he goes to a wedding.

    Example

    The young man spent hours duding himself up for the gala, ensuring every detail of his vintage suit was perfect.

    Usage

    Usually appears as the phrasal verb 'dude up'.

Last updated June 20, 2026