1
as in dressing
to put on one's best or formal clothes
we always like to dress up when going to parties
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in disguising
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
as in sprucing
to make more desirable
dressed up the house with new windows and a paint job before putting it on the market
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in clothing
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 dressing up
Fair highlights Despite the ongoing issues, the sparse number of visitors entertained themselves with interactive exhibits, like dressing up as former President George Washington or speaking with an actress portraying Betsy Ross.
—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
26 June 2026
Best Petite Work Pants on Amazon Not to be overly dramatic, but dressing up for the office is basically my nightmare.
—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party also took the discourse offline this week, dressing up as the insect to clean up India’s notoriously polluted Yamuna River in Delhi, according to news reports.
—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Rachel Smith, co-organizer of the convention and co-founder of Mermaid and Mom, a mermaid party entertainment business, told The Sacramento Bee in 2025 that the California Mermaid Convention brings together water enthusiasts who care for the environment and love dressing up.
—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 2026
Bad Bunny went full costume, carrying a cane and dressing up as an older version of himself with gray hair and special effects makeup to add years to his face.
—
Beatrice Dupuy,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
Spiegelman uses the term micro-looting, dressing up petty theft in political pretensions.
—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
Three Los Angeles County residents will spend their weekends in jail for dressing up as a bear and trashing luxury cars for insurance money.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
It is also known for its elaborate costumes, with many attendees dressing up as their favorite characters.
—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Mar. 2026
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
26 June 2026
Best Petite Work Pants on Amazon Not to be overly dramatic, but dressing up for the office is basically my nightmare.
—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party also took the discourse offline this week, dressing up as the insect to clean up India’s notoriously polluted Yamuna River in Delhi, according to news reports.
—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Rachel Smith, co-organizer of the convention and co-founder of Mermaid and Mom, a mermaid party entertainment business, told The Sacramento Bee in 2025 that the California Mermaid Convention brings together water enthusiasts who care for the environment and love dressing up.
—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 2026
Bad Bunny went full costume, carrying a cane and dressing up as an older version of himself with gray hair and special effects makeup to add years to his face.
—
Beatrice Dupuy,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
Spiegelman uses the term micro-looting, dressing up petty theft in political pretensions.
—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
Three Los Angeles County residents will spend their weekends in jail for dressing up as a bear and trashing luxury cars for insurance money.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
It is also known for its elaborate costumes, with many attendees dressing up as their favorite characters.
—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dressing up
Verb
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Rather than dressing exclusively for high summer, the collection acknowledged the quieter moments—a cool breeze after sunset or the first hint of autumn creeping into late August.
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The accommodation includes an owner’s suite with a study, two dressing rooms, and dual bathrooms, plus three VIPs, four doubles, and two twins.
Verb
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But some users find clever ways to sidestep those controls, by disguising sensitive requests as role-playing games, poems or pictures, with many swapping tips and ideas online.
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For a Black man to reinforce those same stereotypes, while disguising them as objective commentary, is even more damaging.
Verb
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Only sweetening the deal this year is the fact that her friend Anthony Vaccarello of Saint Laurent is co-chairing the hosting committee.
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Coffee giant Starbucks is looking to encourage its baristas and hourly workers to improve their sales and customer service by sweetening the pot with bigger financial perks.
Verb
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Not feeding the hungry, not tending to the sick, not clothing the naked, not welcoming the refugee.
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This is like inviting a homeless person into your home, sheltering them, feeding them, clothing them, educating them, and having that person's confidant leak that the newly comfortable person doesn't think less of you.
Verb
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As a result, the far right has polarized what should be a nuanced debate, in much the same way that some American conservatives turned masking into a form of political sorting.
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Minutes after Iran played to a thrilling, though for Rezaeian and his teammates heartbreaking, 1-1 draw against Egypt, Rezaeian didn’t bother masking his pain.
Verb
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Pogačar is only improving as a rider, a scary proposition for man with his extraordinary palmares.
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Higgins also says that improving resilience will mean changing the city’s building code to allow innovative new technology.
Verb
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What in the world are those overgrown basketballs doing up there?
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Wednesday’s practice started with some of the players doing up-downs after forgetting equipment.
Verb
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Over decades, the tides shift surrounding sand while marine life, like algae, grows over the device, camouflaging it into the natural ocean environment.
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It can be used as a concealer, contour, or foundation, has medium coverage, is pore-blurring, texture-smoothing, and imperfection-camouflaging.
Cite this Entry
“Dressing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dressing%20up. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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