1
as in to dress
to put on one's best or formal clothes
we always like to dress up when going to parties
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to disguise
to change the dress or looks of so as to conceal true identity
the war was a fiasco that the administration tried to dress up as a triumph
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in to clothe
to outfit with clothes and especially fine or special clothes
the girls were dressed up in skirts or dresses, but the boys were wearing jeans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dress up
Guests of the event, dressed up in cocktail attire, admitted to feeling sheepish, reminded so powerfully about the current context, and hurried their way inside the storied building more quickly than in previous editions.
—
Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2025
The four-ingredient item can dress up so many dishes and simple ingredients.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2025
The mom-killing and dressing up in her clothes, the wearing skinsuits and masks (this also inspired Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Gein’s influence is widespread in the horror film industry, behind some of the most classic genre entries of all time.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Photos from Mel Fernandes' TikTok video of her and her husband dressed up as grandparents.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2025
The four-ingredient item can dress up so many dishes and simple ingredients.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2025
The mom-killing and dressing up in her clothes, the wearing skinsuits and masks (this also inspired Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Gein’s influence is widespread in the horror film industry, behind some of the most classic genre entries of all time.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Photos from Mel Fernandes' TikTok video of her and her husband dressed up as grandparents.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress up
Verb
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So with that, don’t expect naked dressing to go anywhere anytime soon—Dakota Johnson still has much to say on the matter, with gala and awards seasons very much in motion now.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
26 Sep. 2025
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Like everyone else in a sound stage, Silver is fully dressed in sweater, jeans, and boots with an N95 mask on.—
Sophie Ansari,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Goodwin claimed Reid was disguised as a delivery driver for Deliveroo, a British online food delivery company, and traveled on an e-bike during all three shootings, the outlet reported.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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What looks like volatility is actually opportunity disguised.—
Melissa Jun Rowley,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Take inspiration from Magnolia Table’s Baked Oatmeal by adding a dash of maple syrup and some candied pecans to your usual breakfast for extra flavor.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Sep. 2025
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The finish is long and satisfying, layering cinnamon-vanilla frosting and candied orange with waves of sweet oak and a lingering touch of allspice, according to a news release.—
Gege Reed,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Authorities said the arson suspect was, as captured on video at the time, clad in a gray hoodie and gray sweatpants walking on church grounds.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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After paying a three-euro (about $3) gate fee at the park’s entrance, visitors then face another 10-minute ride further into the pine and gorse-clad hills along a switchback road that reaches about 1,000 meters above sea level.—
Barry Neild,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Always one for innovation, MacKenzie-Childs has been known to doll up its hero products in a vast variety of designs to suit every last stylistic preference.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
17 July 2025
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Toddler girl wearing striped shorts and vest set propping her baby doll up against a wall to take a photo.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 July 2025
Verb
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The former Macy’s store has remained as-is, with the portion of the building that opens to the project’s central spine masked by an exterior facade.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
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All those fuzzy feelings helped mask the reality, if only temporarily, that this team failed to meet their collective expectations of playing baseball in October.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The 34-mile road winds through several ecosystems from cove hardwood to northern hardwood to pine oak to spruce fir.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
13 Aug. 2025
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Today’s Amazon deals are all about sprucing things up: your desktop setup, your tablet experience, and your audio at home or the beach.—
Shubham Yewale,
PCMAG,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Defense camouflaging more blemishes than Revlon.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
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All these possibilities can camouflage fences in the background.—
Neil Sperry,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dress up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20up. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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