embellishment

noun

em·​bel·​lish·​ment im-ˈbe-lish-mənt How to pronounce embellishment (audio)
1
: the act or process of embellishing
2
: something serving to embellish
3

Examples of embellishment in a Sentence

a colorful mobile is just the embellishment that the soon-to-be nursery needs the actor's penchant for embellishment suggests that his memoirs would be more appropriately shelved in the fiction section
Recent Examples on the Web Elsewhere, subtle and unexpected embellishment came in the form of fringe on aprons or necklaces and even hats. Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2024 For flower girls, the collection features looks including a satin and tulle A-line dress detailed with colorful floral embellishments, and a box-pleated stretch satin frock with a flouncy skirt. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 In their retellings, the hypothesis takes on the sheen of legend, with new embellishments, new twists, new conclusions. Zach St. George, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 When Roman Mejia performs a circle of leaps, for example, there are no embellishments, only the clean and moving fact of his body flying through space. Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 The embellishments, especially the fennel, hover at the edge of overwhelming the scallops without quite tipping over. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024 This was expressed in a variety of ways: embroidery and beading, embellishments such as tufts, and even dimensional materials, where pleats or weaves amplified a flat surface to 3-D. Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024 No great concert is without a quick-change and Rodrigo transforms her all-black look by throwing on a Rabanne minidress-style slip strung with see-through embellishments. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 Party feet Breaking up the plethora of black leather boots that dominated most collections, the shoe of the season is one with embellishment all over it. Scarlett Conlon, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'embellishment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of embellishment was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near embellishment

Cite this Entry

“Embellishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embellishment. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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