decorative
adjective
dec·o·ra·tive
ˈde-k(ə-)rə-tiv 
ˈde-kə-ˌrā-
: serving to decorate
especially
: purely ornamental
decoratively
adverb
decorativeness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of decorative in a Sentence
We added some decorative details to the room.
The handles are decorative and practical.
Recent Examples on the Web
But these 100 decorative life-sized pachyderms are actually part of a cross-country installation called The Great Elephant Migration, imagined by Ruth Ganesh and The Elephant Family organization to promote symbiotic coexistence among humans and wildlife.
—
Zachary Schwartz, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2024
California is moving to outlaw watering some grass that’s purely decorative
Today, the lawn is among the biggest wasters of water in our urban environment — by some estimates accounting for more than half of the gallons used by city residents each year.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2024
The messages seem decorative at first but slowly become central to the plot.
—Stephen Kearse, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2024
Get a couple of these decorative floor pillows for a comfy and cute way to add extra seating in your living space.
—Molly Menning, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decorative 
Zachary Schwartz, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2024
California is moving to outlaw watering some grass that’s purely decorative
Today, the lawn is among the biggest wasters of water in our urban environment — by some estimates accounting for more than half of the gallons used by city residents each year.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2024
The messages seem decorative at first but slowly become central to the plot.
—Stephen Kearse, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2024
Get a couple of these decorative floor pillows for a comfy and cute way to add extra seating in your living space.
—Molly Menning, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decorative
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'decorative.' 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 decorative
Cite this Entry
“Decorative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decorative. Accessed 22 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decorative
adjective
dec·o·ra·tive
ˈdek-(ə-)rət-iv
ˈdek-ə-ˌrāt-
: serving to decorate : ornamental
decoratively
adverb
decorativeness
noun
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