1
as in to dress
to put on one's best or formal clothes
we always like to dress up when going to parties
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to disguise
to change the dress or looks of so as to conceal true identity
the war was a fiasco that the administration tried to dress up as a triumph
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in to clothe
to outfit with clothes and especially fine or special clothes
the girls were dressed up in skirts or dresses, but the boys were wearing jeans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dress up
Another tennis agent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said there is a rush among designer brands to get into tennis these days, in part because fans are increasingly dressing up to attend major tournaments.
—
Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 24 May 2026
Kurosawa has instead chosen to direct a refined murder mystery dressed up in sumptuous feudal garb, offering his own take on one of the oldest Japanese genres.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 2026
Lightweight, packable staples like the Closeknit Jersey Boatneck Crop Tank Top pair beautifully with on-trend bottoms like the Low-rise Capri Jeans for afternoons of museum-hopping or park picnics, yet are easily dressed up with floaty skirts like the Cotton Gauze Tiered Easy Maxi Skirt.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2026
Inertia dressed up as brand equity is the first thing the agent will route around.
—Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 24 May 2026
Kurosawa has instead chosen to direct a refined murder mystery dressed up in sumptuous feudal garb, offering his own take on one of the oldest Japanese genres.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 2026
Lightweight, packable staples like the Closeknit Jersey Boatneck Crop Tank Top pair beautifully with on-trend bottoms like the Low-rise Capri Jeans for afternoons of museum-hopping or park picnics, yet are easily dressed up with floaty skirts like the Cotton Gauze Tiered Easy Maxi Skirt.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2026
Inertia dressed up as brand equity is the first thing the agent will route around.
—Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress up
Verb
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Madame Gres dressed the likes of Princess Grace of Monaco, Greta Grabo, Marlene Dietrich and Jacqueline Kennedy.—
Cathrin Schaer,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
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Today, pretty much every maison has a reference dressed in the hue.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Doormen disguised as bouncers in red baseball caps man the entrance of this 16th-century palazzo on smart Via di Ripetta, near Piazza del Popolo.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 May 2026
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Location is a talent decision disguised as a property decision.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Crystallized or candied ginger is made by cooking fresh ginger in sugar syrup.—
Kelsey Ogletree,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 May 2026
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The official tasting notes describe crisp oak, sweet vanilla, and candied fruit on the nose, followed by ripe berries, honey, and caramel on the palate, finishing with cherry and creamy barrel tones.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Guests will find raw concrete, ribbed glass, plenty of velvet and bubblegum-hued rugs, and walls clad in cork for the kind of insulation used in recording booths of the 1960s.—
Lindsey Tramuta,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
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Fortunately, the only consequence was that his mother was less than impressed at the return home of her soaking wet husband and son after the elder Cerrato jumped in fully clothed to the rescue.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Looking to doll up your collarbones instead?—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
7 Oct. 2025
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The store had to be closed for several days while volunteers set the dolls up for display, and only 25 shoppers could be allowed in at a time for viewing because of the dolls’ values.—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Shop more Virtue products, including my go-to hair mask below.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
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Traffic was abundant, CPCs were manageable and aggregate conversion rates masked the waste happening at the individual visitor level.—
Ankur Goyal,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Best Amazon Outlet Home Sales Memorial Day is the perfect time to spruce things up in and around your home.—
Brittany VanDerBill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 May 2026
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According to Bauhus’s research, climate change has rendered the Black Forest largely uninhabitable to spruce.—
Kendra Atleework,
Longreads,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sometimes applying a furniture-grade oil over the whole surface can camouflage grease stains.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
22 May 2026
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The bongos are shy and can camouflage despite their distinct white stripes, and these attributes are critical for their survival in the wild.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dress up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20up. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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