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
Lara Williams, Twin Cities, 23 July 2025
Keep all unattended food or scented items—including cosmetics, toothpaste, and other toiletries—away from tents and locked inside a car or in a bear-proof canister or food locker provided at campsites.
—Ruffin Prevost, AFAR Media, 18 July 2025
Michelle Lee, People.com, 21 July 2025
That same year, Francis underwent a cosmetic procedure meant to narrow her nose.
—Jeff Lunden, NPR, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cosmetic
Adjective
France, meanwhile, has banned PFAS in several consumer product groups, including textiles, cosmetics and ski wax.
—Lara Williams, Twin Cities, 23 July 2025
Keep all unattended food or scented items—including cosmetics, toothpaste, and other toiletries—away from tents and locked inside a car or in a bear-proof canister or food locker provided at campsites.
—Ruffin Prevost, AFAR Media, 18 July 2025
Noun
In recent years, multiple celebrities have been open about their cosmetic procedures — including the Kardashian-Jenners.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 21 July 2025
That same year, Francis underwent a cosmetic procedure meant to narrow her nose.
—Jeff Lunden, NPR, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cosmetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cosmetic
Adjective
-
Available on August 20, these decorative sets will be available for $10 each.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 July 2025
-
Grillz are decorative dental jewelry, either removable or permanent.—
Cordell Jones,
Miami Herald,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
But adding players will naturally mean the makeup of the team will be shifted again.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
30 July 2025
-
Individuals with larger and larger followings began sharing the videos, often with commentary about the violence, local leadership or the racial makeup of the crowd.—
Dan Horn,
The Enquirer,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
One of the primary culprits behind this ecological unraveling is habitat loss, driven by urban development, industrial agriculture, and the widespread use of non-native ornamental plants.—
Special to The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
27 July 2025
-
What once felt human and hard-earned now feels ornamental—language that sounds noble, but lands with very little weight.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Noun
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This powder is then sold as an industrial material that gets added to a vast array of everyday goods, from bricks and paint to toothpaste and pasta (calcium carbonate effectively acts as a filler — a cheap way to improve texture and thickness).—
Meara Sharma,
The Dial,
22 July 2025
-
Upcycling furniture with leftover paint, embracing sustainable choices, and making emotionally resonant design decisions are all part of this ongoing evolution.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 July 2025
Noun
-
Because of their petite size and dark coloring, these snakes can easily hide or blend in with the landscape.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
24 July 2025
-
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, sporting unique coloring and personalities, but one recent social-media post quickly captured the attention of internet users after an owner showed off her dog's unusually long tail.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cosmetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cosmetic. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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