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
Hardly anyone dresses up for the theater anymore, but my suit and I were ready for our close-up.
—
Eric Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025
But those are only a few ways to dress up this classic recipe.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
As the sun sets, diners dig into burgers dressed up like banh mi, with pickled daikon, rich duck liver mousse, and a burst of cilantro.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
The sleek leather instantly dressed up a pair of jeans and gave my outfits a more high-fashion look.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Eric Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025
But those are only a few ways to dress up this classic recipe.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
As the sun sets, diners dig into burgers dressed up like banh mi, with pickled daikon, rich duck liver mousse, and a burst of cilantro.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
The sleek leather instantly dressed up a pair of jeans and gave my outfits a more high-fashion look.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress up
Verb
-
The company's founders, dressed in uniform-like blue jackets and khaki pants, rang the bell at the National Stock Exchange to start the trading day.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025
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The numerous burgers include the Grind, which comes dressed with lettuce, tomato, red onions, choice of cheese or build your own; the B&B is made with Brie cheese, bacon, smoked habanero jam; and the Southern is made with sharp cheddar pimento cheese, bacon and spicy dill pickles.—
Gege Reed,
Louisville Courier Journal,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And that’s why rolling out the royal red carpet is the ultimate diplomatic move, an act of realpolitik disguised as a gesture of generosity.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
16 Sep. 2025
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The striped pattern is classic and cleverly disguises any wrinkles that might occur during your journey.—
Gabriela Garcia,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Sep. 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
-
My 8-year-old big sister, Lisa, clothed in her first communion dress and veil, her treasured rosary draped in her hands, lay motionless and cold amid the white silken lining, her head upon a white satin pillow.—
Patti Newton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Sep. 2025
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Fans began cheering as soon as the guitar riffs started, and sang every word of Dua’s cover of the 1978 track with her and her band, all clad in black.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
19 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
-
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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Using self-control solely to avoid rejection or to mask one’s authentic self can be counterproductive.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Lots of trees and other vegetation will mask the center’s five, 270,000-square-foot buildings from neighbors, Jones said.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
16 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 21 Sep. 2025.
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