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
Fans dressed up in their favorite Swift outfits to walk through rooms showcasing the singer's lyrics and art videos.
—
Bryan West, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
In the past, he’s seen chili chefs dress up in costumes, and once someone presented their chili in a — clean — toilet bowl.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 June 2025
Unlike the other contestants, she’s not dressed up in a tuxedo or sitting at a table to eat expensive-looking food — she’s being bottle-fed in her crib.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 27 June 2025
Oprah Winfrey was dressed up in all-white on Thursday, while arriving in Venice for the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Bryan West, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
In the past, he’s seen chili chefs dress up in costumes, and once someone presented their chili in a — clean — toilet bowl.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 June 2025
Unlike the other contestants, she’s not dressed up in a tuxedo or sitting at a table to eat expensive-looking food — she’s being bottle-fed in her crib.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 27 June 2025
Oprah Winfrey was dressed up in all-white on Thursday, while arriving in Venice for the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress up
Verb
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The restaurant was packed with fans dressed in looks from every era, each paying about $50 a ticket.—
Bryan West,
The Tennessean,
9 July 2025
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In it, the baby was dressed in a cozy pink onesie with a matching bow on her head.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Fossil fuel interests disguise their obstruction as free-market pragmatism.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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But dark secrets and hormones become issues, thanks to their latest enemy: demons disguised as a hunky boy band.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Verb
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Sweeter styles feature flavors of ripe apricot, honey, candied citrus peel, and exotic spices, balanced by that signature acid snap.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
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San Diego Padres Banana Bread Pudding Topped with glazed banana slices, candied nuts and wafer cookies, this treat is already a fan favorite.—
Andrea Lavinthal,
People.com,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Much of the discussion has fixated on an incident that occurred last week in downtown Los Angeles in which a woman named Andrea Guadalupe Velez was detained by agents clad in bulletproof vests with gaiters over their faces.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
3 July 2025
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Notable here also is the inception of an era where matinee-ready male band performers achieved double-digit chart-topping success, either clad in t-shirts or three-piece suits.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Wearing a look inspired by Barbie herself, Margot Robbie dolls up at this year's Gotham Awards on Nov. 27 in N.Y.C. 43 of 80 Night to Remember Bradley Cooper waves to onlookers outside of the 2023 Gotham Awards in New York City on Nov. 27.—
Zoey Lyttle,
Peoplemag,
30 Nov. 2023
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To further doll up your kitchen, Hilton’s main cutlery set features eight luxuriously golden knives with soft pink handles and gold accents.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2023
Verb
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And as the number of A schools creeps upward, that’s ignited a debate on whether Florida is grading its schools effectively, and whether grade inflation is masking continued difficulties educating students.—
Steven Walker,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 July 2025
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The plaintiffs noted the tactics of the raids, in which agents arrived in military clothing and gear, heavily armed and masked.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Whether your patio could use sprucing or your living room needs reinvigorating, doing home makeovers on a budget is tough.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
22 May 2025
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Today’s Amazon deals are all about sprucing things up: your desktop setup, your tablet experience, and your audio at home or the beach.—
Shubham Yewale,
PCMAG,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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So ranked-choice voting was implemented as a stop-loss remedy — a move to camouflage the practices of an industry devoted to meretricious, often nihilistic entertainments.—
Armond White,
National Review,
27 June 2025
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That shaft was later concealed and camouflaged, more recent imagery also shows.—
Vasco Cotovio,
CNN Money,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dress up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20up. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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