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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dress up
The evening was more about the vibe; Gelman encourages all guests to dress up in fancy cocktail attire.
—
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
On a recent Friday, Bernhardt dressed up, with a cashmere sweater, a pair of baggy, Free People pants, and a pair of Ugg boots.
—Emily M. Olson, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2026
New York might be painfully cold, but that hasn’t stopped the fashion pack from dressing up and descending on the city’s icy thoroughfares.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
Quinoa patties become an elegant dish when dressed up with tahini sauce and exotic mushrooms.
—Faye Levy, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
On a recent Friday, Bernhardt dressed up, with a cashmere sweater, a pair of baggy, Free People pants, and a pair of Ugg boots.
—Emily M. Olson, Hartford Courant, 12 Feb. 2026
New York might be painfully cold, but that hasn’t stopped the fashion pack from dressing up and descending on the city’s icy thoroughfares.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
Quinoa patties become an elegant dish when dressed up with tahini sauce and exotic mushrooms.
—Faye Levy, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress up
Verb
-
Actors who look more of the moment are Ayo Edebiri, Teyana Taylor and Jennifer Lawrence – who see dressing for a film premiere or awards show less about creating an outrageous look, and more about asserting their artistry and originality.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
From clean cupboards that keep your cooking on track to clutter-free closets that make getting dressed a breeze, having less stuff makes the everyday easier, and who wouldn't want that?—
Maggie Gillette,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Secondly, the storytelling skills of these AI creators could not disguise the fact that their films are artificial.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2026
-
In small kitchens that don’t have room for bread boxes or storage shelves, countertop jars are one of our favorite ways to disguise clutter as decor.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Inside were candied almonds and hazelnuts in coatings the colors of raspberries and coffee, basil and lemons.—
Adam Erace,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
-
And under the broiler, it becomes burnished on the bird, almost candied in taste.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But the monks, clad in saffron and maroon robes, soon became unexpected celebrities.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The latter posed up a storm at The Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center, clad in a bold, texture-heavy outfit featuring suede boots.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Looking to doll up your collarbones instead?—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
7 Oct. 2025
-
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
-
Ted Rossman, a principal analyst at Bankrate, said this spending by higher-income households is masking cutbacks that are happening further down the income ladder.—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
-
By the time the music stopped, Malinin was left trying to mask the sorrow for a crowd that included Nathan Chen, the 2022 Olympic champion; seven-time Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles, and actor Jeff Goldblum and his wife, Emilie.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Gallagher spent the first week of December sprucing it up, artfully decorating Christmas trees and doing her best to spread holiday cheer to the house's 150 families.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
13 Dec. 2025
-
Very few of today’s displays predate the 1990s, with some being renovated over the years to either spruce them up or change their theme.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
2 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The finish is like a veil with a light-reflecting brightness that does wonders at camouflaging darkness and discoloration.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The tower is designed to resemble a tree in an effort to camouflage the antennas and reduce its visual impact.—
Conor McGill,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dress up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20up. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
