1
: marked by elaborate rhetoric (see rhetoric sense 2b) or florid (see florid sense 1a) style
He is clear and simple rather than ornate and pompous.—
The Times Literary Supplement (London)
The Times Literary Supplement (London)2
: elaborately or excessively decorated
an ornate mantle
an ornate townhouse
ornate chandeliers
ornately
adverb
ornateness
noun
Synonyms of ornate
Examples of ornate in a Sentence
She doesn't like ornate jewelry.
an ornate gambling casino that is designed to look like an Italian palace
Recent Examples on the Web
In addition to the foundational Mission Revival style, Spanish Colonial, Moorish, Gothic, Mediterranean, Japanese, and Chinese influences are prevalent in the ornate labyrinth.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 19 Dec. 2025
The ornate ceremonial courtroom was on the third floor.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 11 Dec. 2025
Heavily curated with art and books (or, in the case of Nair’s study, books about art), the apartment contains few current references to its new status as childhood home of a mayor; campaign postcards in an ornate fixture outside the front door are among the few reminders.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Dec. 2025
The Washington Post, who first reported about the change, similarly reported that sources said McCrery had concerns the ornate structure would overshadow the historic residence itself.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ornate
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Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 19 Dec. 2025
The ornate ceremonial courtroom was on the third floor.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 11 Dec. 2025
Heavily curated with art and books (or, in the case of Nair’s study, books about art), the apartment contains few current references to its new status as childhood home of a mayor; campaign postcards in an ornate fixture outside the front door are among the few reminders.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Dec. 2025
The Washington Post, who first reported about the change, similarly reported that sources said McCrery had concerns the ornate structure would overshadow the historic residence itself.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ornate
Cite this Entry
“Ornate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ornate. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
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