as in decorative
serving to add beauty
the chef tends to overuse sprigs of parsley and other embellishing garnishes on dishes that don't need them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in exaggerating
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decorating
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of embellishing
Dr. Matthew Warshauer,
Hartford Courant,
26 June 2026
Across almost every level of competitive basketball, embellishing one’s height is so common as to be unremarkable.
—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
And the contour was subtle, embellishing the outer edges only.
—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
In online chats with ADF members in Cameroon, Chungag falsely claimed to have combat experience in Iraq but appeared to be embellishing his military background to raise his profile in the group, the affidavit says.
—
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
While heading to a Late Show With Stephen Colbert appearance with the White Stripes frontman, Scarlett showed off her effortless transitional season style in an olive green jacket with rows of large gold buttons embellishing the front.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 Apr. 2026
Many arias from the 1800s include repeated verses to give the singers the opportunity to show off their coloratura skills by embellishing the sections of the songs the second time around.
—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Like the pharaohs and emperors of antiquity, the president weaponizes the past to justify his present actions and future plans, omitting and embellishing events of yesteryear to fit a bellicose agenda.
—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Many fans of the NBA today believe there are too many whistles, players embellishing for fouls, and superstar players conga lining to the free-throw line.
—
Tyler Erzberger,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
There was no embellishing symbol, no longer a visual bow to the crown.
—
Dr. Matthew Warshauer,
Hartford Courant,
26 June 2026
Across almost every level of competitive basketball, embellishing one’s height is so common as to be unremarkable.
—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
And the contour was subtle, embellishing the outer edges only.
—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
In online chats with ADF members in Cameroon, Chungag falsely claimed to have combat experience in Iraq but appeared to be embellishing his military background to raise his profile in the group, the affidavit says.
—
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
While heading to a Late Show With Stephen Colbert appearance with the White Stripes frontman, Scarlett showed off her effortless transitional season style in an olive green jacket with rows of large gold buttons embellishing the front.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 Apr. 2026
Many arias from the 1800s include repeated verses to give the singers the opportunity to show off their coloratura skills by embellishing the sections of the songs the second time around.
—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Like the pharaohs and emperors of antiquity, the president weaponizes the past to justify his present actions and future plans, omitting and embellishing events of yesteryear to fit a bellicose agenda.
—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Many fans of the NBA today believe there are too many whistles, players embellishing for fouls, and superstar players conga lining to the free-throw line.
—
Tyler Erzberger,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellishing
Adjective
-
In Nevada in 2021, lawmakers passed a law banning decorative grass.
-
Ornate features like pocket doors, decorative fireplaces and a Juliet balcony enhance the space.
Verb
-
Jan Paul van Hecke of the Netherlands has been involved in two scraps already, the latest when he was hit while going for a header and crumbled, perhaps exaggerating a tad, after Morocco's Azzedine Ounahi challenged the header, as well.
-
The four-time Olympian was not exaggerating.
Verb
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The decision also reflected a larger change in the way Taylor thought about decorating.
-
Among DeJohn’s hobbies were flower arranging, collecting anything blue and white, gardening, and decorating.
Adjective
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Because its founders, the Faro family, built a small empire in Sicily from an ornamental plant business that grew into one of the largest Mediterranean plant nurseries in Europe, exporting more than 5,000 varieties to 60 countries.
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These stunning ornamental shrubs showcase flower heads in a dazzling array of colors, including vibrant purples, charming pinks, and serene blues that bloom across various climates.
Verb
-
Knoxville’s shock of white hair, a result of him stopping coloring it during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, kept reminding us that these were humans.
-
The first showed him walking hand-in-hand with his sons, and the second showed Jack crouched down in a church pew as one of his sons played with toys, surrounded by coloring books and stickers.
Verb
-
The timing of this stellar event is especially striking given that this aurora forecast also happens to coincide with the rising of the full Strawberry Moon, adorning the night sky Monday evening.
-
Fans have also indulged in a more modern Scottish tradition, adorning statues in both cities with traffic cones.
Verb
-
The professors were bitter and angry—angry at a university, a state, and a country where their fields of study were regarded as obsolete, useful only for padding the schedules of STEM students or as a backstop for STEM burnouts.
-
Perhaps this isn’t new—Star Wars has been taking small moments from the original trilogy and padding them out for decades now—almost everything seen on screen in those first three films has been resurrected, fleshed out with backstories and unnecessary details.
Verb
-
Iyo launched into her comeback, draping Morgan’s arm over the top rope before hitting a missile dropkick.
-
The halter style left most of her back exposed, draping crystal and pearl-like embroidery across her shoulder blades, waist and hips.
Cite this Entry
“Embellishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellishing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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