embellish

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of embellish are adorn, beautify, deck, decorate, garnish, and ornament. While all these words mean "to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential," embellish often stresses the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

When could adorn be used to replace embellish?

Although the words adorn and embellish have much in common, adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself.

a diamond necklace adorned her neck

How do beautify and embellish relate to one another?

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

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

When might deck be a better fit than embellish?

The words deck and embellish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

When can decorate be used instead of embellish?

The synonyms decorate and embellish are sometimes interchangeable, but decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

Where would garnish be a reasonable alternative to embellish?

The meanings of garnish and embellish largely overlap; however, 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 are the words ornament and embellish related?

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 embellish Low-waist, embellished Miss Me jeans are back, and social media can't get enough of the nostalgic revival. Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025 Its newest design, the Rhodes duffel, is made from a single piece of leather and embellished with solid brass hardware made in Switzerland. Lindsey Tramuta Roxanne Fequiere Luke Fortney Gisela Williams Megan O’Sullivan, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025 The nominee and presenter appeared in a custom Giorgio Armani Privé strapless champagne silk gown featuring a curved geometric detail embellished with Swarovski crystals. Catherine Santino, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025 To embellish a client’s ceiling, Westbrooks designed a three-dimensional millwork detail. The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for embellish 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellish
Verb
  • Even Dancing With the Stars veteran Sean Spicer wouldn’t be able to exaggerate the size of this audience.
    Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Jan. 2025
  • What is the meaning behind the end of Hereditary? While Hereditary uses the horror genre to exaggerate ideas and entertain, its foundational theme is trauma, according to Aster.
    Erica Marrison, People.com, 19 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Pompeii: a dining room decorated with characters and subjects inspired by the Trojan war has emerged from the new excavations BBC News.
    Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The thermal baths are also connected to a banquet room decorated with elaborate frescoes that was announced last spring.
    Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Beckham has been a brand ambassador for Tudor since 2017 and has been seen wearing a wide range of Tudor models in various settings, using his style and status to enhance Tudor’s image and reach.
    Sophie Furley, Robb Report, 18 Jan. 2025
  • For students, the key is to leverage these tools thoughtfully—to enhance, not replace, their authentic efforts.
    Sarah Hernholm, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The bathhouse, adorned with intricate mosaics and featuring hot, warm, and cold rooms, resembles a spa-like retreat, and could be the largest thermal complex found yet in a private residence in Pompeii.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The silver piece is adorned with a cross and the iconography of a chapel and is more than 1,000 years old, the museum said in a Jan. 15 Facebook post.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The storage options don’t stop here, though; hideaway padded shoulder straps can store additional items like chargers and travel-sized beauty products.
    Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Allison also pads the narrative with several other storylines.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Jan. 2025

Podcast

Thesaurus Entries Near embellish

Cite this Entry

“Embellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellish. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on embellish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!