Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of decorate are adorn, beautify, deck, embellish, garnish, and ornament. While all these words mean "to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential," decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

When might adorn be a better fit than decorate?

The synonyms adorn and decorate are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 decorate?

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

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

When can deck be used instead of decorate?

Although the words deck and decorate have much in common, deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

When would embellish be a good substitute for decorate?

The words embellish and decorate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, embellish often stresses the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

Where would garnish be a reasonable alternative to decorate?

While in some cases nearly identical to decorate, 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 decorate?

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 decorate Graham captured himself and his fellow channel partners’ antics while unboxing, unfolding, and decorating a near-identical version of this Jaxenor tiny home from Amazon. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2025 Rosa is decorated with floral wallpaper. Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 28 Sep. 2025 Developers plan to work with local artists to create murals and sculptures to decorate the space. Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2025 This conversation happens in a chamber David has decorated with his various drawings and inventions, expressions of individuality Walter and his brethren have been denied; Walter is neither gifted with David’s imagination nor burdened by his loathing of humankind. Chris Klimek, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decorate
Verb
  • From the cool, dank blue-gray tones of Maria’s basement to the clever signage that adorns the schoolroom walls, the production mechanics work to pull viewers further into this high stakes character study.
    Holly Jones, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Thug has managed to find a way to push the envelope all these years later with Uy Scuti, adorning a Druski-esque whiteface that reads as a somewhat subversive take on the current moment’s politics.
    Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Copy the actress by throwing it over a long-sleeve top, or wear it on its own — with or without a cardigan draped over your shoulders — on warmer fall days.
    Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The couple ends with Luke, Nicole, Beau and Tex holding hands and walking away from the camera, with the ultrasound photos, draped over a stool, in the video’s foreground.
    Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Decorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decorate. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on decorate

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