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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Verb
-
Setting the business up, decorating, shopping and all the other preparations for the opening assist in moving the plot towards its conclusion.—
Rachel Elspeth Gross,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026 -
This is a lovely window for nesting, gathering loved ones, and even making moves around your living situation, whether that means decorating, purchasing, or settling somewhere new.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The sole restaurant produces international cuisine including dishes such as terrine of duck and duck liver and carpaccio of scallops with a vanilla dressing as well as fresh fish caught by local fishermen.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
That includes dressing themselves.—
John Koetsier,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Now, fans can pick up Pride merch that the singer has signed off on — in some cases quite literally with her signature adorning the item.—
Tim Chan,
Footwear News,
3 June 2026
-
This navy blue door dazzles next to the subtle green and white trim adorning the house.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party also took the discourse offline this week, dressing up as the insect to clean up India’s notoriously polluted Yamuna River in Delhi, according to news reports.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
-
The Love on the Spectrum star posed for a photoshoot at the grand opening of the new Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos, dressing up in a mermaid tail reminiscent of one of her favorite characters, Ariel from The Little Mermaid.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
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
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.
Cite this Entry
“Dolling up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolling%20up. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
