as in decorative
serving to add beauty
changes in the original design of the building were purely cosmetic
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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
Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
This change isn't just cosmetic.
—Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 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
Similar restrictions are expected to go into effect in the United Kingdom next year, but TPO remains in cosmetic products in the United States.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
This change isn't just cosmetic.
—Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cosmetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cosmetic
Adjective
-
Five centuries on, and designers have come full circle, returning to small, utilitarian spaces to make big decorative statements.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Washing and disinfecting decorative pumpkins removes fungal spores and will slow that process down.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Revord fielded questions from curious castmates and asked hair and makeup artists to help choose character outfits for their Pinterest board.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Borrelli-Persson As recently as the era of the supers, runway models did their own hair and makeup.—
Vogue Runway,
Vogue,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Add ornamental onions to flower beds and edible onions near tomatoes to keep squirrels away.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Four Petal Flowers Ornamental Textile At the time of restoration, there were no records describing the production process for the ornamental textiles with their pattern of four petal flowers.—
Isabelle Kliger,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Once that happens, salt can deteriorate the paint on top and car parts underneath.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The gas is activated by the ultraviolet rays of the sun, making the tail glow in much the same way that black light causes phosphorescent paint to light up.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Benefitting from an on-trend, mustard-yellow coloring, the object is luxe without taking itself too seriously.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Its coloring fades from lighter orange on its head to darker brown on its tail tip.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cosmetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cosmetic. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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