BEAUTIFY Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'beautify' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of beautify are adorn , deck , decorate , embellish , garnish , and ornament . While all these words mean "to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential," beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness. // will beautify the grounds with flower beds

Q: Where would 'adorn' be a reasonable alternative to 'beautify'?

Although the words adorn and beautify have much in common, adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself. // a diamond necklace adorned her neck

Q: When is 'deck' a more appropriate choice than 'beautify'?

In some situations, the words deck and beautify are roughly equivalent. However, deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness. // a house all decked out for Christmas

Q: When could 'decorate' be used to replace 'beautify'?

The synonyms decorate and beautify are sometimes interchangeable, but decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design. // decorate a birthday cake

Q: When is it sensible to use 'embellish' instead of 'beautify'?

The meanings of embellish and beautify largely overlap; however, embellish often stresses the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament. // embellish a page with floral borders

Q: When can 'garnish' be used instead of 'beautify'?

While in some cases nearly identical to beautify , garnish suggests decorating with a small final touch and is used especially in referring to the serving of food. // an entrée garnished with parsley

Q: How do 'ornament' and 'embellish' relate to one another, in the sense of 'beautify'?

Both 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

beautify

verb

ˈbyü-tə-ˌfī

Definition of beautify next

as in to decorate

to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming volunteers beautified the roadside landscape by planting flowers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word beautify different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of beautify are adorn, deck, decorate, embellish, garnish, and ornament. While all these words mean "to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential," beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness.

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

Where would adorn be a reasonable alternative to beautify?

Although the words adorn and beautify have much in common, adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself.

a diamond necklace adorned her neck

When is deck a more appropriate choice than beautify?

In some situations, the words deck and beautify are roughly equivalent. However, deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

When could decorate be used to replace beautify?

The synonyms decorate and beautify are sometimes interchangeable, but decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

When is it sensible to use embellish instead of beautify?

The meanings of embellish and beautify largely overlap; however, embellish often stresses the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

When can garnish be used instead of beautify?

While in some cases nearly identical to beautify, garnish suggests decorating with a small final touch and is used especially in referring to the serving of food.

an entrée garnished with parsley

How do ornament and embellish relate to one another, in the sense of beautify?

Both 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of beautify These trees have dark green leaves and fragrant white flowers, and are an attractive, nearly thornless way to beautify your home. —

Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 2 Jan. 2026 These low-growing plants perform important environmental services while beautifying the garden year-round. —

Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2025 The association is applying for a grant from the Texas Historical Commission to preserve and beautify the Mosier Valley Cemetery. —

Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Dec. 2025 For Brookside, that would mean financial support for work to help beautify the area with new landscaping, signage, art, lighting and other improvements while making paths safer for pedestrians. —

Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 11 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beautify

Recent Examples of Synonyms for beautify

Verb

Her days are patterned, quiet, and slow; her toys make no clattering sounds, the nursery is decorated only in soothing, dim colors.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The site where Pretti was killed, on Nicollet Avenue near 26th Street, was decorated with hundreds of pillar and votive candles and dozens of flower bouquets and signs left by neighbors and mourners by midday Monday.

— Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 27 Jan. 2026