deck 1 of 2

as in balcony
a flat roofless structure attached to a building the family usually ate on the deck on summer evenings

Synonyms & Similar Words

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deck

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word deck different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of deck are adorn, beautify, decorate, embellish, garnish, and ornament. While all these words mean "to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential," deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

When can adorn be used instead of deck?

In some situations, the words adorn and deck are roughly equivalent. However, adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself.

a diamond necklace adorned her neck

How are the words beautify and embellish related as synonyms of deck?

Beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness.

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

When could decorate be used to replace deck?

The meanings of decorate and deck largely overlap; however, decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

When is embellish a more appropriate choice than deck?

The synonyms embellish and deck are sometimes interchangeable, but embellish often stresses the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

Where would garnish be a reasonable alternative to deck?

While the synonyms garnish and deck are close in meaning, garnish suggests decorating with a small final touch and is used especially in referring to the serving of food.

an entrée garnished with parsley

How do ornament and embellish relate to one another, in the sense of deck?

Both ornament and embellish imply the adding of something extraneous, ornament stressing the heightening or setting off of the original.

a white house ornamented with green shutters

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deck
Noun
Both opponents will be tough to deal with, and the Cowboys will need all hands on deck to come away with wins against both. David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 The decorations can also be placed on a covered outdoor porch or deck. Kaitlin Gates, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
Wide receiver Chris Conley decked safety Donovan Wilson with 7:16 left in the third quarter, freeing up the 49ers’ All-Pro in the flat on National Tight End Day for his sixth touchdown of the season. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2024 The Omni Grove Park Inn remains closed following the storm’s damage, but plans to reopen—and deck the halls—in time for holiday visitors. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deck 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deck
Noun
  • Sips and Sunsets Kids and traditional happy hours at resort bars are generally a mismatch, but no need to gaze longingly at a bar below from a guestroom balcony.
    Margaux Lushing, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Zoe Saldaña as Rita, a jaded defense attorney for white-collar criminals, is writing her closing argument, asking the jury to exonerate her client, a corrupt bureaucrat accused of pushing his wife off a balcony.
    Paula Aceves, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Every Christmas, the family decorated a tree with apples, as was the German custom.
    Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Painted, decorated, or however adorned, designers see walls as an opportunity for making a statement that will set the tone for the room.
    Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • In the clip shared by father-of-four Jack Robertson, from Victoria in Australia, his young son Archie can be seen standing on the porch brandishing a Nerf gun as the driver from Domino's approaches.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Book Now Owl’s Nest in the Catskills Photo: Courtesy of Airbnb Atop Bramley Mountain sits the Owl’s Nest, a quaint home with a wraparound porch, a wood-burning stove, and farmhouse interiors.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Erected late last week, the pool is adorned with unpainted plywood and sits behind a tall fence covered by transparent plastic, over which tourists throw coins in the hope of hitting the water.
    Barbie Latza Nadeau and Antonia Mortensen, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
  • The recently re-designed Great Hall of the Lodge, which offers sweeping views of the golf course, is adorned by large-scale cowhide quilts by Kyle Bunting that utilize patterns traditional to Appalachia that have been passed down through generations of women.
    Brienne Walsh, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Ideal for hosting, a private dining room, a chef’s catering kitchen, and a lounge boasting an expansive terrace are available to residents.
    Jessica Cherner, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Beyond its slightly more than 6,000 square feet of living space, the expansive outdoor terrace is where key amenities tied to the incentive come into play, like an ice bath and a sauna.
    Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • In the picture, Katharine had a blue jacket draped around her shoulder, while the toddler wore a striped shirt with some pants.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
  • The Gucci Notte womenswear includes crepe de chine dresses draped from bamboo, not unlike those in his spring 2025 show, others with the pavé swirls of beading, as seen on that collection’s standout coat, and more with scarves trailing feathers at the end.
    Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The new legislative maps trimmed that lean down to 53%, raising questions from Republicans and enthusiasm from Democrats over whether the seat would flip parties under the new maps.
    Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Restaurant Brands on Tuesday trimmed its outlook for full-year system-wide sales growth to a range of 5% to 5.5%, down from its prior range of 5.5% to 6%.
    Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near deck

Cite this Entry

“Deck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deck. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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