How to Use dress-up in a Sentence

dress-up

1 of 2 noun

• Even in a world of dress-up, there are limits.
  — Lauren Morrow september 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
• The coat will keep your child warm while playing dress-up in the winter months.
  — Nora Colomer, Fox News, 2 Nov. 2024
• Morse joked that the dress-up loving couple could not have planned it better.
  — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 Nov. 2023
• Apart from playing dress-up, the kids indulged in tea, fruit, croissants, and donuts.
  — Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024
• Tuck books into baskets or hang dress-up costumes from hooks on a pegboard.
  — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Mar. 2023
• This is hardly Clive’s first dress-up session with Kate at the helm.
  — Korin Miller, Women's Health, 21 Apr. 2023
• Playing dress-up and putting on shows were typical of her childhood.
  — Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
• See the mini pony, Dolly dress-up station, book drive and more.
  — Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 15 Jan. 2025
• Shop jewelry, dress-up pieces, crafts—like this beading kit—for littles of all ages.
  — Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 31 Mar. 2025
• My mom was a dancer, so growing up, makeup and dance recitals and dress-up, all of it was very, very normal for me.
  — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
• The second floor is dedicated to dress-up.
  — Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 26 May 2026
• Think of them as an elaborate game of dress-up, a century and change in the making.
  — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
• Each matinee will be preceded by pre-show dress-up party, a first for the ballet.
  — Lezlie Sterling, Sacramento Bee, 16 Feb. 2024
• The first player runs to the pile, puts on all the dress-ups on top of their regular clothes, and then runs back to the team.
  — Catherine Holecko, Parents, 30 July 2024
• In June, the pair treated fans to a glimpse of one of those vacation dress-up moments.
  — Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2023
• Don’t force dress-up Some pets are amenable to a little dress-up and may do just fine strutting in costume.
  — Julia Lamont, The Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2024
• And trying to play dress-up as a clay-court specialist for eight weeks of the year is little more than a waste of time.
  — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 June 2025
• What if, instead of a high school tradition, the dress-up bit was part of a silly shtick for the town follies?
  — Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2023
• A little dress-up for the season can be quite refreshing after a cold winter.
  — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2026
• Much of the fun in the film comes from Barbie literally playing dress-up.
  — Time, 11 July 2023
• This dress-up set includes Wednesday's iconic dress and long braids, Thing, a belt, and tights.
  — Katrina Cossey, Parents, 1 Oct. 2025
• This version has flattering cap sleeves, is the perfect length, and the A-line cut works for most dress-up events.
  — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
• Brill has a rodent-like high energy as Cohn, and Bauer has fun playing dress-up.
  — Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Oct. 2023
• Bond over dress-up dates, epic live shows, and glamorous experiences that keep the two of you up until sunrise.
  — The Astrotwins, ELLE, 1 Sep. 2023
• While playing dress-up, Anderson was most drawn to gowns with a sweetheart neckline.
  — Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
• Chopra also appeared to have played dress-up with the toddler, who in one photo clapped her hands while sporting long, press-on nails.
  — Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
• The baby blue shade is on-trend and so easy to dress-up with kitten heels or wear casually with sneakers and a sweater.
  — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026
• Chenille and linen present a more casual, sporty vibe, even though these, too, can also be considered dress-up.
  — Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024
• This is another of those tribute bands that cares more about honoring the music than playing dress-up.
  — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2025
• To her point, the collection was inspired by by raiding the closets of one’s parents and playing dress-up.
  — Mikelle Street, WWD, 22 Sep. 2024

dress up

2 of 2 verb

• This is a coat that makes even jeans and a tee look dressed up.
  — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
• Every time it was dressed up as virtue.
  — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
• Need an excuse to dress up and feel springy?
  — Laura Ness, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
• And, yes, dressing up like a cat.
  — Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025
• Snoopy is getting dressed up for fall.
  — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2025
• Even his dog, Lala, was dressed up head-to-toe.
  — Jonathan Borge, InStyle, 29 Jan. 2026
• Swap them for your usual jeans to dress up your look.
  — Aemilia Madden, Vogue, 18 June 2026
• Dare to dress up, dare to be chic, dare to go out and have fun again.
  — Jordan Michelman, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 July 2022
• Pets are not just dressing up to hand out treats at the house.
  — Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025
• Both should have a relaxed fit that can be dressed up or down.
  — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2025
• Plus, the waist-grazing style is easy to dress up or down.
  — Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 14 Jan. 2026
• To dress up your jeans, slip into a pair of heeled mules.
  — Sri Rain Stewart, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
• One of the best things about white jeans is that they can be dressed up or down.
  — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026
• Metallics are such a great neutral to dress up just about any look.
  — Alexis Bennett, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2022
• People can dress up for date nights, but there’s no dress code.
  — Jenna Thompson april 22, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
• There's no better way to dress up a plant than with a great pot.
  — Monique Valeris, Good Housekeeping, 25 Aug. 2022
• Chelsea boots are great because they can be dressed up and dressed down.
  — John Thompson, Men's Health, 30 Mar. 2023
• That sleek jacket and those low-cut boots can dress up a pair of jeans.
  — Catherine Gaugh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2022
• The great thing about fur (or faux fur) hats is that they can be dressed up or down.
  — Robyn Merrett, StyleCaster, 30 Dec. 2024
• But don’t ask him to dress up on Halloween.
  — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
• They can be dressed up with a little black dress or down with jeans or sweats.
  — Robyn Merrett, StyleCaster, 19 Feb. 2025
• Curtains do far more than dress up a window.
  — Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
• Easy to dress up for work or down for casual nights out.
  — Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 9 Feb. 2026
• Moments for people to dress up have not changed.
  — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 4 May 2026
• Slice a few extra orange wheels to dress up the bowl as well.
  — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2025
• There are tons of ways to dress up hummus for a larger feast.
  — Kim Sunée, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Oct. 2020
• Our team members will dress up in costumes.
  — Neda Ulaby, NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
• Since this is a special night, ask your friends to dress up in their cutest ‘fits.
  — Leah Campano, Seventeen, 30 Jan. 2023
• But those are only a few ways to dress up this classic recipe.
  — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
• But those are only a few ways to dress up this classic recipe.
  — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026