dolling up

verb

present participle of doll up
1
as in decorating
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming if you were to doll up those Shaker-style rooms, you'd ruin their simple elegance

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dressing
to put on one's best or formal clothes got all dolled up for the party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dolling up
  1. decorating
  2. dressing
  3. adorning
  4. dressing up
  5. doing up
Verb
  • After moving out, everything went into storage, but Nunez’s decorating ambitions didn’t end with freshman year.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The holiday season in downtown Parkville The holiday season in downtown Parkville begins in full force by early November, when small businesses begin decorating their storefronts and setting out holiday merchandise.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of decorating
Verb
  • Divide and brush the remaining 1/4 cup dressing on the bottom halves of the buns.
    — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Here, a guest opts for one with light support, dressing it up with a white blazer draped over the shoulders, black shorts, a waist scarf, flip-flop heels, and an oversized clutch.
    — Julia Guerra, InStyle, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of dressing
Verb
  • In the photo, the father-son duo was all smiles, adorning matching jiu-jitsu outfits.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Black shirt, black shorts, thin sheen of sweat adorning his expressive forehead.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of adorning
Verb
  • In past episodes, this has meant dressing up as Sigmund Freud in Vienna, singing with The Irish Tenors in Dublin, and facing off with a python in Bangkok.
    — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Halloween 2026 is already shaping up to be a big year for coordinated costumes, with families getting creative about dressing up together.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of dressing up
Verb
  • What in the world are those overgrown basketballs doing up there?
    — Rui Bo, The Conversation, 18 May 2026
  • Wednesday’s practice started with some of the players doing up-downs after forgetting equipment.
    — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of doing up
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.

Browse Nearby Words

dollies
dolling up
dollish
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Cite this Entry

“Dolling up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolling%20up. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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