embellish

verb

im-ˈbe-lish How to pronounce embellish (audio)
Definition of embellishnext
1
as in to exaggerate
to add to the interest of by including made-up details the story of the comic marriage proposal was embellished as it passed from one generation to the next in the family

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2
as in to decorate
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming the walls of the French restaurant are embellished with scenes of Parisian life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Cyrus, 32, wore a plunging naked dress embellished with crystals. —Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2025 Weighing just 189g, the lightweight printer includes digital filters and editing functions for embellishing images. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025 Dries Van Noten embellished crepe bustier top $1,090 NET-A-PORTER cotton crochet mesh skirt Melody leather flip flops Miu Miu Ivy canvas and leather bag A Matching Set with Beachy Must-Haves Who doesn’t love the appeal of a one-and-done outfit during the summer months? —Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 29 May 2025 At the time, the jewel nicely linked with her Dior gown, combining a structured strapless black velvet bodice and a pink satin skirt, embellished with a bow on the front and a train. —Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for embellish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellish
  1. exaggerate
  2. decorate
  3. enhance
  4. adorn
  5. pad
Verb
  • The Figure below breaks down the source of gross imports; the decline in oil from OPEC is pronounced, while the rise of Canadian oil imports, due to higher oil sands production, exaggerates the security of our supply, albeit only slightly.
    — Michael Lynch, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
  • Faced with a middling public response to the ICE raids and subsequent protests, Trump continued to use extreme language to exaggerate the magnitude of the public safety threat and to take credit for the reduction in hostilities as the week progressed.
    — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
Definition of exaggerate
Verb
  • After the supplies were unloaded, Qasem Hassan pulled a medical smock over her black jacket and entered a classroom decorated with diagrams of the digestive system.
    — Eyal Press, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
  • These partners don’t just decorate boats with their logos.
    — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Definition of decorate
Verb
  • As disparate data sources come together through intelligent ETL processes enhanced by AI, the next step is managing the security, authentication and role-level access of the different departments and users.
    — Lori Schafer, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Rainy weather driving tips Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2025
Definition of enhance
Verb
  • The bottoms were adorned with allover Swarovski rhinestones.
    — Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 9 June 2025
  • Shops across the city are adorned in green and gold — green for pistachios, gold for the dessert's flakey crust.
    — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 7 June 2025
Definition of adorn
Verb
  • The battery life is rated at an impressive 30 hours with noise cancellation on, and the frame and ear cups are generously padded for long listening sessions without discomfort.
    — Ars Staff, ArsTechnica, 13 June 2025
  • Despite the foundation’s massive growth, the Huangs are still padding the endowment’s coffers.
    — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 12 June 2025
Definition of pad

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Cite this Entry

“Embellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellish. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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