cosmetic

adjective cos·met·ic \ käz-ˈme-tik \

|Updated on: 6 Aug 2018

Examples: cosmetic in a Sentence

Definition of cosmetic

1 : of, relating to, or making for beauty especially of the complexion : beautifying

cosmetic salves

2 : done or made for the sake of appearance: such as

a : correcting defects especially of the face

cosmetic surgery

b : decorative, ornamental

c : not substantive : superficial

cosmetic changes

3 : visually appealing

—

cosmetically

play \käz-ˈme-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See cosmetic defined for English-language learners

Examples of cosmetic in a Sentence

Almond oil is sometimes used in cosmetic products.
medical procedures that are done for cosmetic purposes
The changes were purely cosmetic.

Recent Examples of cosmetic from the Web

Maybe cosmetic companies can develop a clever way to deliver both at once, Yarosh says.

— robbie gonzalez, WIRED, "DNA-Repairing Sunscreen: Legit or Not?," 2 July 2018
The remodel isn’t just cosmetic: Montoya conducted new interviews over the last few years and shaped the material into new sketches.

— margaret gray, latimes.com, "'Bordertown Now': At Pasadena Playhouse, Culture Clash brings its brand of comedy to the wall," 8 June 2018
Without a minimum of trust, any deal would be either cosmetic, incomplete or doomed to fail.

— andrew kydd, Washington Post, "Promises on North Korea are easy to make but hard to keep. Here’s why.," 7 June 2018
While many of these cosmetic companies have yet to make waves stateside—save one all-day moisturizing lip balm that goes on white but leaves a matte, almost-powdery finish—that’s about to change.

— zoe ruffner, Vogue, "5 Danish Beauty Brands to Know, Just in Time for Copenhagen Fashion Week," 9 Aug. 2017
Meanwhile, Beyonce’s dermatologist Harold Lancer told THR that liposuction is the number one cosmetic procedure, adding that big butts are less popular now. Lifted nose tips, Lancer added, are also a new trend.

— lindsay weinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, "Vaginal Rejuvenation Is the Latest Cosmetic Trend to Hit Hollywood," 12 July 2018
But according to dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D. director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital (who is not affiliated with the product), Qbrexza is actually quite different.

— chloe metzger, Marie Claire, "The FDA Approves Qbrexza Wipes to Stop Excessive Underarm Sweating," 29 June 2018
Apple is finally starting to pay some attention to the Mac App Store—the company is giving it a redesign this year—but the changes are mostly cosmetic.

— lauren goode, WIRED, "A New Era of Frankensoftware Is Upon Us," 13 June 2018
The prejudice the Marielitos faced in Miami stemmed in part from their colonial slave ancestry, and was complicated by Castro's antidiscrimination reforms, which initially were only cosmetic.

— andrea gronvall, Chicago Reader, "History repeats itself over and over again at the African Diaspora Film Festival," 8 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cosmetic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.