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
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
Sets built in the multi-use studio included an upside-down passenger plane fuselage and an ornate Shanghai penthouse built over the indoor water tank, which were both used for high-octane action scenes.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Dec. 2025
Velvet napkins, ornate handblown glassware and a visible pass with Hollywood-ready heat lamps solidify the scene as sultry and cinematic.
—Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ornate
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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
Sets built in the multi-use studio included an upside-down passenger plane fuselage and an ornate Shanghai penthouse built over the indoor water tank, which were both used for high-octane action scenes.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Dec. 2025
Velvet napkins, ornate handblown glassware and a visible pass with Hollywood-ready heat lamps solidify the scene as sultry and cinematic.
—Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 4 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 7 Dec. 2025.
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