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 The green and teal embellished burlesque ensemble worn by Roan to promote her SNL appearance was the most complex ensemble Deatherage has worked on and took more than a month to assemble. Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 27 Dec. 2024 Expect lots of smiles and hugs and stories of the good old days, some of which, embellished or not, Sternberg will turn into news releases. Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024 Colorful lights and ornaments embellish firs, spruces, and pines. Nina Foster, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024 Its bralettes, cheeky shorts, camis, and slip dresses are embellished with ruffles, lace, ties, and polka dots and come in pastel and neutral skin tones that feel natural and soft. Malia Griggs, Glamour, 20 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for embellish 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellish
Verb
  • Many progressive groups grossly exaggerate problems as an argument for federalizing national elections or to use as a fundraising tool.
    Karlyn Bowman, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
  • The book generated a backlash among Israel’s supporters, and he was accused of exaggerating the situation and misstating some facts.
    Peter Baker, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Every estate has been meticulously restored, decorated and furnished with a unique style and many of the artworks displayed in the homes have been specially commissioned.
    Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Owner Ann Butler decorated it with gorgeous marble countertops, close-out sale tables, garage sale finds and silverware from three grandmothers, then added great food and heaps of hope.
    Carolanne Griffith Roberts, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Naturally, Wiggins’s first priority was to preserve and enhance the spartan cottage’s existing architecture: the façade of rough-hewn local stone, quaint clapboard walls, restored wood floors, and exposed ceiling beams.
    Laura May Todd, Architectural Digest, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Its rugged, waterproof build is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, while add-on lenses enhance versatility for content creators.
    Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 6 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 same Rams who won a mediocre division, padded their record with wins over the Jets, NE, and the Saints, and then lost to the Bears?
    The Athletic, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
  • Gustavo Gimeno conducts; reliables by Ravel and Barber pad out the rest of the program.
    Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2025

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Thesaurus Entries Near embellish

Cite this Entry

“Embellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellish. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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