deck 1 of 2

Definition of decknext
as in balcony
a flat roofless structure attached to a building the family usually ate on the deck on summer evenings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

deck

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of deck are adorn, beautify, decorate, embellish, garnish, and ornament. While all these words mean "to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential," deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

When can adorn be used instead of deck?

In some situations, the words adorn and deck are roughly equivalent. However, adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself.

a diamond necklace adorned her neck

How are the words beautify and embellish related as synonyms of deck?

Beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness.

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

When could decorate be used to replace deck?

The meanings of decorate and deck largely overlap; however, decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

When is embellish a more appropriate choice than deck?

The synonyms embellish and deck are sometimes interchangeable, but embellish often stresses the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

Where would garnish be a reasonable alternative to deck?

While the synonyms garnish and deck are close in meaning, 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 deck?

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 deck
Noun
Kirk then scored on an upper-deck blast from Kazuma Okamoto before the first frame came to an end. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 June 2026 Qatari fans were clad in traditional white thobes in their supporter section behind the north goal, while Swiss supporters wore red in the second deck behind the south goal. Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
Verb
The Bigg Chill posted a video from inside the function, showing Sweeney, 28, biting into a fro-yo sandwich decked out in blue sprinkles in honor of the launch of her Comfy collection. Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026 From Times Square’s screens to sidewalk signs, the entire city has been decked out in anticipation of hosting eight of the 104 matches, including the champion-deciding final on Sunday, July 19. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for deck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deck
Noun
  • Even better, almost all have balconies, which is rare in town.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 June 2026
  • Guests can choose from traditional rooms or spacious one- or two-bedroom suites, some of which have balconies and two-way gas fireplaces.
    Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • The garment was made from a light blue fabric with colorful floral embroidery, and a prominent diamond brooch decorating the center of the V-neckline.
    Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 June 2026
  • Scallops have become one of decorating's most enduring motifs, and this wastebasket embraces them wholeheartedly.
    Jaha Nailah Avery, Architectural Digest, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • The plane crashed into a house and exploded, killing 10 skydivers, the pilot and a man sitting on his back porch.
    Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
  • Add screens at the base of decks and porches.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • In colonial times, silver and gold made its way across the ocean to adorn Catholic churches.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 June 2026
  • After adorning the classic sneaker with various flower details including roses, cherry blossoms and bluebells, a new trio of women’s Air Force 1s is blooming at the brink of summer.
    Riley Jones, Footwear News, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • At its center was a 7,237-square-foot Arts and Crafts-style residence with seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, along with a private theater, library, massage room, and expansive ocean-facing terraces.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 June 2026
  • Many feature private gardens, terraces, or balconies with boundless views of Ibiza’s staggering natural bounty, while five deluxe suites boast private pools.
    Alexandra Kirkman, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform and for decoration in general.
    Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 14 June 2026
  • The San Antonio defenders were practically draped on Brunson, steering him to the sidelines and away from the paint.
    David Remnick, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • Puff sleeves, a scalloped hem, lace trim, and eyelet detailing give this top a soft, feminine edge.
    Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026
  • Jacob Wilson's two-run single trimmed it to 7-2 in the sixth before the Pirates tacked on five more in the seventh.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deck. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on deck

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster