1
as in dresses
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 disguises
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
as in spruces
to make more desirable
dressed up the house with new windows and a paint job before putting it on the market
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in clothes
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 dresses up
Denim Royale features luxe finishes and denim that dresses up without losing authenticity.
—
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2025
Each year, the museum dresses up in its Halloween décor and presents games, crafts, spooky stories and prizes.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Oct. 2025
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2025
Each year, the museum dresses up in its Halloween décor and presents games, crafts, spooky stories and prizes.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dresses up
Verb
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Back then, she had been advised—free of charge—by stylist Bailey Moon, who dresses the likes of Morgan Spector and Cristin Milioti and is most widely known for having worked with Jill Biden and her family throughout president Joe Biden’s administration.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
2 Jan. 2026
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Senior commerce editor Nashia Baker dresses her mattress with these and is a fan of their design and breathable feel.—
Nora Taylor,
Architectural Digest,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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At great risk, Hamida disguises herself as a khes (a thick cotton cloth) seller and enters the house to plan with Lajo an escape route.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
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In Chad Powers, new episodes available to stream Tuesdays on Hulu, Powell plays hotshot quarterback Russ Holliday, who disguises himself as the titular football player to join a new team after tanking his own college career.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Jordan Coleman steps in as Cheyenne Barnes, a bold hairstylist whose confidence masks years of unresolved pain, while Tunde Oyeneyin plays Madison Truitt, a driven entrepreneur navigating success, expectations, and the search for real partnership.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
6 Jan. 2026
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To make a book rather than write one is to assemble something whose external form masks its more flexible potential.—
John Darnielle,
Rolling Stone,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Bedsure Twin Heated Blanket With a fleece top and faux shearling backing, the blanket’s thick fabric conceals the wires, giving it the feel of a cozy throw rather than a typical heated blanket.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
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Her go-to is the Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit, a $35 at-home hair color box that conceals 100 percent of stubborn grays and enhances shine.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The company typically sweetens the deal by including a free sheet set, a mattress protector and two cooling pillows, which can add up to $599 in value to your purchase.—
Marina Johnson,
IndyStar,
1 Dec. 2025
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Chamomile softens the flame, vanilla sweetens the smoke, and the result is all loving, never strange… a total trance.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And while Americans’ overall ideological self-identification looks stable in the aggregate (37% very conservative/conservative, 34% moderate, 25% very liberal/liberal), a January 2025 Gallup poll shows that this steadiness hides tectonic tensions tugging beneath the surface.—
Robert T.F. Downes,
Hartford Courant,
6 Jan. 2026
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Now, Scieszka’s debut filters Tuck Everlasting-esque immortality through the social media age—examining how someone hides their eternal lifespan from facial recognition technology and venture capitalists looking to capitalize upon family property and the ultimate anti-aging secrets.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ending the government shutdown would ease the situation for controllers, but the FAA said the flight cuts will remain in place until their safety data improves.—
JOSH FUNK,
Arkansas Online,
8 Nov. 2025
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Nix will only be on a rookie contract for so long, and the Broncos’ cap situation improves significantly in 2026.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Her go-to is the Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit, a $35 at-home hair color box that conceals 100 percent of stubborn grays and enhances shine.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The denim industry has found an appreciation for linen and how the fiber enhances and refines what is traditionally considered to be a tough and rugged fabric.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dresses up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dresses%20up. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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