decorate

verb

dec·​o·​rate ˈde-kə-ˌrāt 

decorated; decorating

transitive verb

1

: to add honor to

decorated commerce with the splendid virtues of honor and loyalty

—Geoffrey Household

2

: to furnish with something ornamental

decorate a room with artwork

decorating the Christmas tree

3

: to award a mark of honor to

a soldier decorated for valor

highly decorated war veterans

intransitive verb

: to furnish something with ornamentation

decorating for the party

Synonyms

• adorn
• drape

Choose the Right Synonym for decorate

adorn, decorate, ornament, embellish, beautify, deck, garnish mean to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential.

adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself.

a diamond necklace adorned her neck

decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

ornament and embellish imply the adding of something extraneous, ornament stressing the heightening or setting off of the original

a white house ornamented with green shutters

, embellish often stressing the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness.

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

garnish suggests decorating with a small final touch and is used especially in referring to the serving of food.

an entrée garnished with parsley

Examples of decorate in a Sentence

I always enjoy decorating the Christmas tree.

I decorated my apartment in dark colors.

Recent Examples on the Web

Renovated cabins are decorated in a nostalgic mountain vibe, with plaids and wood tones reigning supreme. —Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2025

For dessert was a chocolate cake with brown butter vanilla buttercream icing baked by Gaby Scelzo, decorated with baby blue ruffles and pink frosted roses. —Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

The circuit itself is decorated to fit the same era, and spectators are encouraged to dress up in outfits from the 1940s, 50s and 60s – with practically everyone getting into the spirit. —Alistair Charlton, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Produced for the Australian Network 10, the season features decorated contestants from the show’s various international franchises competing for the global championship. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin decoratus, past participle of decorare, from decor-, decus ornament, honor — more at decent

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for decorate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

decorate

verb

dec·​o·​rate ˈdek-ə-ˌrāt 

decorated; decorating

1

: to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming

decorate a room

2

: to award a decoration of honor to

decorate a soldier for bravery