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
  • Rosemary had a role in the millinery department, and John was part of the team that was painting and decorating the store.
    — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
  • For families coming from out-of-state, turnkey dorm decorating can help relieve stress.
    — Stephanie Ganz, Parents, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of decorating
Verb
  • Heritage dressing took on a more subversive edge, mixing preppy and equestrian references with grunge, while pale pastels brought softness to the season.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • That philosophy is perhaps especially apt for a designer whose work has always found energy in people dressing to be noticed.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of dressing
Verb
  • Why do the slow-rising curtains in Digger’s bedroom resemble the ruffled drapes adorning a theatrical stage?
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Some of Haring's work was underground, adorning the walls of the subway.
    — Jane Pauley, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of adorning
Verb
  • Autumn is all about dressing up for transitional weather while keeping in mind seasonal hues, like burgundy, olive green, and camel.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Pinkchyu got a full shopping spree, which included Drizzy dressing up as a goth to match her energy.
    — Armon Sadler, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 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 2 Oct. 2026.

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