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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dress up
Zac has gotten dressed up and feels like a newlywed, but Jen barely notices.
—
Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
The spaghetti is then submerged, graphically, into the boiling water, before being dressed up in red sauce.
—Joe Wilkins Published Mar 12, Futurism, 12 Mar. 2026
Instead, officials continue to dress up the dangers of an expansion.
—Gustavo Rivera, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
So sometimes, families who don't have sons will dress up one of their daughters and present them as a son to avoid social criticism.
—Ruchi Kumar, NPR, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
The spaghetti is then submerged, graphically, into the boiling water, before being dressed up in red sauce.
—Joe Wilkins Published Mar 12, Futurism, 12 Mar. 2026
Instead, officials continue to dress up the dangers of an expansion.
—Gustavo Rivera, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
So sometimes, families who don't have sons will dress up one of their daughters and present them as a son to avoid social criticism.
—Ruchi Kumar, NPR, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress up
Verb
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Its light and nutty flavor nicely complements the tangy lemon dressing.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
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The transition from cutesy, overly frilly looks into something sleeker can boost their confidence and teach them valuable skills in dressing oneself in a way that honors their self-expression and changing sartorial needs.—
Kelsey Legg,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That day, his Tahoe had been disguised with both an Uber decal and an out-of-state license plate.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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Others describe it as surveillance disguised as support.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sweet potato casseroles have remained a constant on Thanksgiving sideboards in the South, but candied yams have fallen to the wayside for many.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
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There were two, a candied-kumquat ice cream ($6) and a chocolate pavê with Chantilly cream and almond praline ($15).—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Weaving, clad in a magenta pink gown, recorded a video message to fans, which ran at the start of the film.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
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Joseph and his supporters were clad in green and white and marched somberly to the election council’s headquarters.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Looking to doll up your collarbones instead?—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
7 Oct. 2025
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The store had to be closed for several days while volunteers set the dolls up for display, and only 25 shoppers could be allowed in at a time for viewing because of the dolls’ values.—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Such places are pristine and beautiful, though also frighteningly artificial, often masking a simmering violence.—
Chase Hutchinson,
IndieWire,
14 Mar. 2026
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Curls may gradually loosen as strands weaken, and frizz can sometimes mask thinning early on.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fortunately, the wise old Professor Tangrowth is there to help spruce it up.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2026
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Something always needs stabilizing, fixing or sprucing in a 174-year-old building.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hanson, who spends much of his life crawling through underbrush to count trees, plunged ahead into stands of chest-high ceanothus, pointing out sequoias camouflaged in the pervasive post-fire brush.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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Finding frass on tomato leaves or the soil below your plants is sometimes easier than finding the green hornworm perfectly camouflaged among the green vines.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dress up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20up. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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