as in decoration
small objects that are used for decoration and are not usually valuable
shelves full of bric-a-brac
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Recent Examples of bric-a-brac
Small, independent merchants don’t offer the bric-a-brac of Christmas baubles of embroidered kilts found in nearby (and more touristy) Pitlochry, but instead opt for used books at The Birnam Reader, artisanal cheeses and baked goods at Aran Bakery, and small-batch gin at LÒN.
—
Timothy Latterner, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
Chipotle arrived like a lightning bolt in 1993, bringing its approximation of Mexican food and an industrial, minimalist aesthetic to a fast-food scene cluttered with bric-a-brac and cartoony maximalism.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 12 Feb. 2026
Jungle Bird sports a beach club motif with a thatched roof palapa over the bar and cozy nooks adorned with grasscloth walls and tropical bric-a-brac.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Through the exhibit, the building is allowed to show its skin: Walls are plastered but unpainted, and the basement is stuffed with bric-a-brac accumulated during its long, colorful history.
—Will Fenstermaker, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Among the bric-a-brac was a large collection of hats—baseball caps, wide-brimmed straw hats, an Indigenous headdress with green and red parrot feathers.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2026
The 17-minute short is also animation art of the highest order, seen in the extraordinary bric-a-brac detail of a pawnshop, lending it an immersive authenticity.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Jan. 2026
Cracker Barrel’s decor harkens back to a time of family restaurants with bric-a-brac covering the walls.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Uncle Herschel is back, but his bric-a-brac may stay in the landfill.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
Timothy Latterner, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
Chipotle arrived like a lightning bolt in 1993, bringing its approximation of Mexican food and an industrial, minimalist aesthetic to a fast-food scene cluttered with bric-a-brac and cartoony maximalism.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 12 Feb. 2026
Jungle Bird sports a beach club motif with a thatched roof palapa over the bar and cozy nooks adorned with grasscloth walls and tropical bric-a-brac.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Through the exhibit, the building is allowed to show its skin: Walls are plastered but unpainted, and the basement is stuffed with bric-a-brac accumulated during its long, colorful history.
—Will Fenstermaker, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Among the bric-a-brac was a large collection of hats—baseball caps, wide-brimmed straw hats, an Indigenous headdress with green and red parrot feathers.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2026
The 17-minute short is also animation art of the highest order, seen in the extraordinary bric-a-brac detail of a pawnshop, lending it an immersive authenticity.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Jan. 2026
Cracker Barrel’s decor harkens back to a time of family restaurants with bric-a-brac covering the walls.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Uncle Herschel is back, but his bric-a-brac may stay in the landfill.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bric-a-brac
Noun
-
Keep your table decorations low and minimal; this way, your guests can all reach the bead bowls in the center of your table and pass them around easily.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The body tube, nose cone and fins come in attractive black and orange colors and the set includes stickers to add to the decorations.—
Alexander Cox,
Space.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But Yee hopes that straight talk and her distinct lack of ornamentation will count for something with California voters.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Following the Great Depression, many of the original principles of Art Deco—like rich materials and opulent ornamentation—were no longer affordable and, in some situations, no longer desirable.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The store’s display of wooden German pieces, for example, are reproductions of a line of German ornaments from the late 1920s.—
Emily M. Olson,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Behind them a young man with a paint-flecked beard followed the designer about the set, twitching the hem of the velvet curtains hung at the window and rearranging the ornaments on the mantelpiece.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Functional and technology-driven apparel brands will appear alongside labels exploring contemporary interpretations of Chinese cultural aesthetics, illustrating how domestic brands are carving out specialized categories rather than competing for the same consumer.—
Yiling Pan,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Target also moved March 11 to cut prices on more than 3,000 products, with apparel, home goods and daily essentials being reduced by 5% to 20%.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Add 2 tablespoons of the cream, raise the mixer speed to medium, and beat until the frosting is pale and easily spreadable and has increased quite a bit in volume.—
Olivia Wakim,
AJC.com,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Our editors liked the creamy texture and balanced flavor of this frosting, that didn't leave any unappetizing aftertastes or grit.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Other jeans were decorated with swags of crystals and embroidery.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Searches for hobbies that can be taken outside to a park or on a train ride—like knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and painting—are up 136% over the past six months alone, while the company’s yarn accessory sales have grown 40% year-over-year.—
Joseph Erbentraut,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Since Fossil started releasing its special-edition ring watches — tapping everyone from Barbie to Nick Jonas and Disney for the task — people started falling in love with the adornments’ more playful side, not to mention mini-watches’ unisex wearability and gift-worthiness.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
16 Mar. 2026
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This particular bed set is handmade with leather, wood, suede and brass adornments.—
Samantha Gowen,
Oc Register,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Models dressed in Marie Antoinette-style Rococo finery with a Glastonbury grunge twist at Harris Reed’s festive fall show for Nina Ricci.—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
12 Mar. 2026
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Netflix also released a brief teaser for The Hawk with Ferrell in his early aughts finery.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bric-a-brac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bric-a-brac. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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