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

Example 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
Alternatively, the splashy bayside villas have two bedrooms, a gourmet kitchen, and a private deck. Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2025 As Senators sipped diet sodas and grazed on sandwiches, the Kentucky lawmaker went through a slide deck with charts and statistics in service of a bold proposal: come out against President Trump’s tariffs. Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
The pre-recorded performance saw the star decked in a glittering red suit and singing against a snowy backdrop. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2024 Romanek opened up her Hollywood design studio for the dinner party, and decked it out with the collection’s gorgeous chocolate brown velvet Malibu Grande sofa, cream boucle Bel Air swivel chairs, Coastline credenza, Beachwood wicker table lamps and more. Booth Moore, WWD, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deck
Noun
  • Each one has a balcony with a view of the mountains or the lake and the slender spire of its pretty Germanic church.
    Ann Abel, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Photo : Gabriel Zimmer/Catskill Image A covered balcony sits between the great room and the primary bedroom.
    Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The actor, 29, recently shared a photo on Instagram of himself wearing a denim jacket with colorful patches decorated in various symbols, including flowers and a peace sign.
    Raven Brunner, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The birthday girl, rocking a shimmery strapless gown, was serenaded by a live mariachi band, then presented with a multi-tier cake, decorated in sparklers and her name in frosting.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • With spring on the horizon, there are many opportunities to enjoy the warm weather on the porch, patio, or deck, so furnishing outdoor spaces with comfortable seating is a must.
    Ali Faccenda, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Rustic accommodations for a maximum of 32 guests—available for full-island buyouts—add to the destinations’s throwback charm, with rockers on the porches and cabins with knotty-pine interiors.
    Elaine Glusac, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Tiny bridges made of brass and several acrylic cars, buses, trains and subway cars adorn the model, which was originally designed to be walked across by visitors — at least for the areas with flatter and smaller buildings and large waterways and parks.
    Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The building's exterior, meanwhile, will be white and adorned with depictions of the area's famous oranges and fish, while the interior will have open sides and what looks like some seating areas.
    Adam Williams, New Atlas, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Following a red carpet snap of the couple that featured some of the first-ever photos of her ring, Bloom shared a photo of herself enjoying a view of Venice from a terrace to her Instagram account.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • The Jack’s Bay Playground Residences are a group of just 23 two-, three-, and four-bedroom cottage-style homes, each with a private pool and patio and a rooftop terrace.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • While the moon is draped in red hues during totality, the light is far dimmer than direct sunlight.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The bottom of the dress is elegantly draped with a high slit that runs up the thigh.
    Raven Brunner, People.com, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Yet, certain aspects could have been trimmed for more condensed viewing, including a flashback to Cordelia’s birding vacation.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Combining layoffs and other types of departures, the Trump administration has trimmed the department's workforce from 4,133 to 2,183 since the start of his second term.
    Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deck. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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