doll up

verb

dolled up; dolling up; dolls up

transitive verb

1

: to dress elegantly or extravagantly

2

: to make more attractive (as by decorating)

intransitive verb

: to get dolled up

Synonyms

• decorate
• adorn

Examples of doll up in a Sentence

if you were to doll up those Shaker-style rooms, you'd ruin their simple elegance

got all dolled up for the party

Recent Examples on the Web

The store had to be closed for several days while volunteers set the dolls up for display, and only 25 shoppers could be allowed in at a time for viewing because of the dolls’ values. —Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025

Always one for innovation, MacKenzie-Childs has been known to doll up its hero products in a vast variety of designs to suit every last stylistic preference. —Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 17 July 2025

Toddler girl wearing striped shorts and vest set propping her baby doll up against a wall to take a photo. —Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025

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

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for doll up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

doll up

verb

: to dress in fine stylish clothing