decorate

verb

ˈde-kə-ˌrāt How to pronounce decorate (audio)
Definition of decoratenext
as in to adorn
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming decorated the mansion's hallways with priceless paintings and luxurious tapestries

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of decorate are adorn, beautify, deck, embellish, garnish, and ornament. While all these words mean "to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential," decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

When might adorn be a better fit than decorate?

The synonyms adorn and decorate are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 decorate?

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

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

When can deck be used instead of decorate?

Although the words deck and decorate have much in common, deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

When would embellish be a good substitute for decorate?

The words embellish and decorate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, embellish often stresses the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

Where would garnish be a reasonable alternative to decorate?

While in some cases nearly identical to decorate, 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 decorate?

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 decorate At each stop, the sturdiest tables are deployed as altars, decorated for Easter with crates of eggs and sugar cakes with rainbow sprinkles – small reminders of normalcy and the homes for which these worshippers are putting their lives on the line. —Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Apr. 2025 The venue's main ballroom was decorated to the nines, with linens by Reverie Social, signage by Minted and florals by boutique studio Flora and Dean. —Dave Quinn, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025 Tulips and lilies, for example, are both popular flowers used to decorate Easter and Passover tables. —Perri Ormont Blumberg Fox News, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025 The cake, decorated with mini eggs in pink, blue and purple, looks good enough to eat. —Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decorate
  1. adorn
  2. drape
Verb
  • Aparicio’s late grandmother, Maria de la Paz Torres Aparicio, handcrafted dolls adorned with clothes that people left behind during the war.
    — Sarah Quiñones Wolfson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Today, The Dwarika’s spans 2.5 acres and features 80 rooms and suites, each one adorned with original woodwork, handcrafted furnishings and thoughtful Nepalese details.
    — Livia Hengel, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Definition of adorn
Verb
  • Jackets are engineered to drape with architectural precision.
    — Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Gudas opposed him in the final and after draping a gold medal around his neck last spring, the hard-nosed defenseman and Ducks captain might add another piece of hardware – as well as a $25,000 donation to the charity of his choice – for a very different reason.
    — Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2025
Definition of drape

Browse Nearby Words

decor
decorate
decorated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decorate. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of decorate for Spanish Speakers

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