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

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 embellish The sweater’s drop shoulder gives it a relaxed look, and the patch pockets on the pants are both practical and embellishing. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2025 Below the center stone, the sides feature a design that may include carvings that likewise play into the ring’s vintage vibe and are embellished with smaller diamonds. Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2025 The lighthearted and bouncy guitar strums of the track are later embellished with UMI’s fluid Japanese rap interlude. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 22 Aug. 2025 Her corset-esque top included embellished puffy short sleeves and was completed with a Celtic brooch, a subtle tribute to her mother. Charmaine Patterson, People.com, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for embellish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellish
Verb
  • The young family were the only people on the block who elected to ride out the storm, believing the stark warnings were being exaggerated.
    Curtis Bunn, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2025
  • The fact that the company exaggerates the job numbers, as well as the true number of states where the plane produces a significant number of jobs does not alter the fact that economic arguments carry a lot of weight in Congressional decisions on weapons procurement.
    William Hartung, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Kirkton House Wood Fall Icon Candle One of the simplest ways to decorate for the season is with a fragrant candle.
    Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2025
  • City officials said no, and soon after, the city council passed an ordinance re-establishing a rule that only city employees can decorate its property.
    Cate Charron, IndyStar, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • He is known for his advocacy in advancing preventive healthcare models, with an emphasis on the role of lifestyle interventions in managing chronic diseases and enhancing overall well-being.
    Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Inside, walls are adorned with inlaid brass and white onyx mosaic, framing a three-dimensional image of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, which is present in many RH Galleries and represents the RH design ethos.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Chicago Sky star forward Angel Reese is on the WNBA edition cover—an alt-product trend introduced in NBA 2K22 when former Sky star Candace Parker adorned a cover in honor of the WNBA’s 25th anniversary.
    Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The hosts padded their lead in the fourth.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Still, after whupping the White Sox 10-4 on Thursday night, Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger asserted that there's no shame in padding the record against low-quality competition, which is objectively true.
    Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Embellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellish. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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