apparel vs dress

apparel and dress both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
apparel	Yes	No	Yes	No
dress	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

As nouns, apparel and dress are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of apparel include clothes, wearing apparel.

As verbs, apparel and dress are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of apparel include clothe, enclothe, fit out, garb, garment, habilitate, raiment, tog.

apparel (noun)	dress (noun)
clothing in general	a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice
	clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion
	clothing in general

apparel (adjective)	dress (adjective)
	(of an occasion) requiring formal clothes
	suitable for formal occasions

apparel (verb)	dress (verb)
provide with clothes or put clothes on	put on clothes
	provide with clothes or put clothes on
	apply a bandage or medication to
	arrange attractively
	dress or groom with elaborate care
	give a neat appearance to
	dress in a certain manner
	kill and prepare for market or consumption
	convert into leather
	put a dressing on
	put a finish on
	cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of
	provide with decoration
	cut down rough-hewn (lumber) to standard thickness and width
	decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods
	arrange in ranks