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
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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
This versatile maxi dress is a customer-favorite and can easily be dressed up for a date night or down for a quick grocery run.
—
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 17 June 2025
But even when such occasions were more common, ladies knew how to dress up without maintaining costume shops — pairing basic dresses with scarves, jewelry or little jackets.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 16 June 2025
Riggle, who was dressed up as Uncle Sam, said the American flag iconography was an important part of the protest because the rally was on Flag Day, and the flag is one of the things that best embodies American democracy.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2025
Seymour also posted another family photo including her grandson Rowan, who dressed up in a coat, skinny jeans and wide-brim hat.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 17 June 2025
But even when such occasions were more common, ladies knew how to dress up without maintaining costume shops — pairing basic dresses with scarves, jewelry or little jackets.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 16 June 2025
Riggle, who was dressed up as Uncle Sam, said the American flag iconography was an important part of the protest because the rally was on Flag Day, and the flag is one of the things that best embodies American democracy.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2025
Seymour also posted another family photo including her grandson Rowan, who dressed up in a coat, skinny jeans and wide-brim hat.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress up
Verb
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Use it to dress salads with extra virgin olive oil, or on cooked or raw vegetables.—
Veronica Cristino,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
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The siblings grew up in the lap of luxury, dressed in the finest silks, with doting courtiers catering to their every whim.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
26 June 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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The two sections of the building are constructed of a spruce framework clad in smooth oak panels, while the central gate is made from traditional 6-inch pine logs.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 June 2025
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Chants reverberated among the soccer-centric crowd mostly clad in red and white.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
24 June 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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The free-living, hard-drinking Brett uses wit and jollity to mask her inner desperation.—
Tony Perrottet,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 June 2025
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And while users in plenty of places around the world cannot access the free internet without these location and identity masking tools — that’s not the case anywhere in the U.S.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
28 June 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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For most pet parents, design choices meant to accommodate their furry (or feathered, or scaled) friends are relatively simple ones: choosing performance materials that can withstand chewing, clawing and general-purpose romping, and color palettes that camouflage fur.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 June 2025
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Hovering around it all is the pending debut of the park’s latest attraction: the Indominus rex, a dinosaur genetically engineered from other dinos’ DNA by Dr. Henry Wu (B.D. Wong), and which can both camouflage itself and mask its heat signature.—
Will Harris,
EW.com,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dress up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20up. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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