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cos·met·ic | \ käz-ˈme-tik 
\
\Definition of cosmetic
(Entry 1 of 2)
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
cosmetic
nounDefinition of cosmetic (Entry 2 of 2)
: something that is cosmetic: such as
a : a cosmetic preparation for external use
b cosmetics plural : superficial features
a poem without rhetorical cosmetics— Guy Davenport
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Other Words from cosmetic
Adjective
cosmetically \ käz-ˈme-ti-k(ə-)lē \ adverb
\ adverbSynonyms & Antonyms for cosmetic
Synonyms: Adjective
Antonyms: Adjective
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Examples of cosmetic in a Sentence
Adjective
Almond oil is sometimes used in cosmetic products.
medical procedures that are done for cosmetic purposes
The changes were purely cosmetic. Noun
Use a cosmetic to hide the scar.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective That year, Americans spent $16.5 billion on cosmetic surgery; ninety-two per cent of these procedures were performed on women.
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Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, "The Age of Instagram Face," 12 Dec. 2019 DuBoff notes that plenty of items don’t qualify, including cosmetic surgery, medicines purchased from outside the U.S., pet medicines and medical marijuana.
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Linda A. Johnson, USA TODAY, "How you can use up your flexible spending account dollars before the end of the year," 11 Dec. 2019 But criticism of cosmetic surgery on intersex children has also come from within the medical community.
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Dustin Gardiner, SFChronicle.com, "California bill would ban early surgery to ‘fix’ intersex children," 8 Nov. 2019 The best of these over-the-counter formulas pack peptides, adds Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
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Chelsey Hamilton, Health.com, "The Best Eyebrow Growth Serums for Fuller, Bolder Arches, According to Dermatologists," 16 Oct. 2019 Instagram said the new policies are a direct reaction to the increase of influencer marketing and the promotion of diet teas, supplements and certain cosmetic surgeries on the app.
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Sophie Lewis, CBS News, "Instagram posts that promote weight loss will be hidden from users under 18," 18 Sep. 2019 Surgeons’ lack of experience in ethnic cosmetic surgery is in some ways systemic.
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Brianna Holt, Quartz, "The beauty industry’s most entrenched diversity problem is ethnic plastic surgery," 13 Sep. 2019 The reopening came with some cosmetic changes, most noticeably to the lobby entrance so that the front of the staircase is more visible and open.
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Yvette Orozco, Houston Chronicle, "Weeks after leak, League City library building reopens," 16 Jan. 2020 Make a few cosmetic changes to the offense — like, say, trading for Odell Beckham or signing A.J. Green — and the Patriots can return to championship-caliber.
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Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, "Josh McDaniels news should help Tom Brady lean toward a return to Patriots," 12 Jan. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Another venture developed by Ms. Janah is LXMI, a luxury cosmetics line that has the same mission as Samasource: to hire marginalized people and give them a decent wage.
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Richard Sandomir, BostonGlobe.com, "Leila Janah, entrepreneur who hired the poor, dies at 37," 1 Feb. 2020 Counterfeit cosmetics can contain everything from dangerous bacteria to human waste.
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Peter Navarro For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, "Navarro: Counterfeits harm Americans and threaten national security. Trump has a plan to combat them," 31 Jan. 2020 Another venture developed by Ms. Janah is LXMI, a luxury cosmetics line that has the same mission as Samasource: to hire marginalized people and give them a decent wage.
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Richard Sandomir, New York Times, "Leila Janah, Entrepreneur Who Hired the Poor, Dies at 37," 30 Jan. 2020 In addition to food, H Mart also sells household items and cosmetics.
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Priscilla Totiyapungprasert, azcentral, "6 questions answered about Arizona's first H Mart and a look inside the Mesa megastore," 22 Jan. 2020 Like a Boss is nominally the story of longtime friends Mel (Rose Byrne) and Mia (Tiffany Haddish), who run a small beauty company and tangle with a cosmetics mogul, Claire Luna (Salma Hayek).
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Rumaan Alam, The New Republic, "Women Can’t Have It All, Even at the Movies," 22 Jan. 2020 Try double cleansing or using a makeup remover for stubborn dirt and cosmetics.
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Essence, "Everything You Need To Know To Get The Skin You Want This Year," 20 Jan. 2020 After graduating from Tennessee’s Fisk University in 1935, Dickerson taught for several years before taking better paying jobs, including selling cosmetics.
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David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, "She was a friend of Rosa Parks, a student of Thurgood Marshall — and the first black attorney in Alaska," 20 Jan. 2020 The woman, Bloch-Bauer’s niece, later sold the painting to cosmetics mogul Ronald Lauder in 2006 for $135 million.
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Time, "Portrait Found in Gallery's Walls Verified as Missing Gustav Klimt Artwork," 17 Jan. 2020
See MoreThese 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.
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More Definitions for cosmetic
cosmetic
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of cosmetic
(Entry 1 of 2)
: used or done in order to improve a person's appearance
: done in order to make something look better
: not important or meaningful
cosmetic
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of cosmetic (Entry 2 of 2)
: a substance (such as a cream, lotion, or powder) that you put on your face or body to improve your appearance
See the full definition for cosmetic in the English Language Learners Dictionary
cosmetic
nouncos·met·ic | \ käz-ˈmet-ik \
\Kids Definition of cosmetic
: a material (as a cream, lotion, or powder) used to improve a person's appearance
cosmetic
nouncos·met·ic | \ käz-ˈmet-ik \
\Medical Definition of cosmetic
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a cosmetic preparation for external use
cosmetic
adjectiveMedical Definition of cosmetic (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : of, relating to, or making for beauty especially of the complexion
cosmetic salves
2 : correcting defects especially of the face
cosmetic surgery
Other Words from cosmetic
cosmetically \ -i-k(ə-)lē \ adverb
\ adverbKeep scrolling for more
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Time Traveler for cosmetic
The first known use of cosmetic was in 1638
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