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
The day is marked by a large morning prayer service, which many Muslims dress up for.
—
Melina Khan, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
The film’s final sequence, and the most difficult to shoot, involved hundreds of Londoners, dressed up as V, marching through Trafalgar Square at night to the British Parliament and Big Ben.
—Matthew Huff, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
Proving that comfort and style aren’t mutually exclusive, the Wilfred Goodlux Bloomsbury Dress is made from a stretchy and relaxed jersey material that can be dressed up or down throughout your next trip (and would look excellent with a pair of tomato red sneakers for a casual day of sightseeing).
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026
The lightweight coat is easy to dress up or down, and the six-button design is a lovely touch.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Melina Khan, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
The film’s final sequence, and the most difficult to shoot, involved hundreds of Londoners, dressed up as V, marching through Trafalgar Square at night to the British Parliament and Big Ben.
—Matthew Huff, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
Proving that comfort and style aren’t mutually exclusive, the Wilfred Goodlux Bloomsbury Dress is made from a stretchy and relaxed jersey material that can be dressed up or down throughout your next trip (and would look excellent with a pair of tomato red sneakers for a casual day of sightseeing).
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026
The lightweight coat is easy to dress up or down, and the six-button design is a lovely touch.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress up
Verb
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Betty, attempting to paper over her unthinkable loss, dresses Laura in her daughter’s clothes, gives her her daughter’s place at family meals, has her daughter’s bike fixed to Laura’s height.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
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As two Japanese women dressed as Buc-ee's beavers head-butted at the center of a 16-by-16 ring Wednesday evening, Palmer Event Center’s once-lukewarm crowd began a furious chant.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That lightning in a bottle disguised in the form of ping-pong balls led to the selection of Cooper Flagg, who has exceeded expectations as one of the NBA’s best rookies in the last two decades.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
17 Mar. 2026
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To new offensive coordinator McDaniel, these will be players to move around the alignment and activate his run and blocking surfaces, disguise personnel looks and — quarterback Justin Herbert hopes — help out the offensive line.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
16 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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The loudest moment of the night came at the 12-minute mark when Purdue’s bench and its huge contingent of yellow and black clad fans erupted as senior point guard Braden Smith made history with his 1,077th career assist, breaking the 33-year-old NCAA record set in 1993 by Duke’s Bobby Hurley.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Mar. 2026
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The crown jewel, however, has to be the bar clad in celadon-green Sekoya marble and dotted with glittering bottles.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 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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Proposals to prohibit federal immigration agents from masking their faces have gained new life in states -- thanks in part to a court ruling that blocked the nation's first such law, in California.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
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The idea of purity — whether in food, body or belief — often masks hierarchies of power.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 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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Segel makes Dan a bitterly perceptive geek, out of his depth but eager to prove himself, while Weaving invests Lisa with a snappishness that only camouflages her pain.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Dress up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20up. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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