as in decorative
serving to add beauty
changes in the original design of the building were purely cosmetic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 cosmetic
Bryan West, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
In its first fiscal quarter since President Donald Trump's tariffs were announced, cosmetics company E.l.f.
—Natalie Rice, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2025
Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 1 Oct. 2025
What else rose to the top of our editors’ cosmetic bags in September?
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cosmetic
Adjective
The cosmetic is in stock for $26.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
In its first fiscal quarter since President Donald Trump's tariffs were announced, cosmetics company E.l.f.
—Natalie Rice, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
Terri Alani, a 71-year-old cosmetic dentist from Houston, Texas, also called out Nicolle in a conversation with her.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 1 Oct. 2025
What else rose to the top of our editors’ cosmetic bags in September?
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cosmetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cosmetic
Adjective
-
Bring the spirit inside with decorative pumpkins on your entryway table to greet you and your guests at the door.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
29 Sep. 2025
-
One crafty Solana Beach family has turned decorative succulent pumpkin arrangements into help for seniors in need at the Community Resource Center in Encinitas.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Her makeup artist, Hung Vanngo, worked with the Rare Beauty founder and used all the products from the Something Rosy kit to create her glam for the big day.—
Starr Bowenbank,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Since then, the makeup for her public appearances have been light touch, to say the least.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Native ornamental grasses like Little Bluestem () provide both food through their seeds and cover from the elements.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Plant perennials, shrubs, and ornamental trees.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Sarr sat at rock bottom among bigs in points per shot attempt, ranking in the sixth percentile, largely because of his high volume of 3-point attempts and low percentage of makes but also because of his inefficiencies within the paint.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Her discovery, her self-creation, her passion, and emergence as an artist felt braided with what had originally fascinated me about paint-making.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The new species was identified by its DNA, body size, skin texture, coloring, finger and toe shape, skeletal structure, teeth, and other subtle physical features, researchers said.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Jesus, in profile in the frame, had shoulder-length waves like late-stage Michael Jackson but a coloring that was more African than His Mediterranean birth would imply, though not as dark as Jean, and much less so than Wole, an actual African.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cosmetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cosmetic. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share