1
as in dressing
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 disguising
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 sprucing
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 clothing
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 dressing up
Rather than dressing up as a Disney character, incorporate polka dots, fun prints like leopard, and red-and-black motifs throughout your vacation wardrobe.
—
Irene Richardson, InStyle, 6 Mar. 2026
The facile novelty of adultery is its own mask, a sexy way of dressing up a deep, frightened longing for security.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
The fall collection adds another brick, as Falcioni seeks to reignite the pleasure of toying with tailoring and dressing up.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
Andrew and King Charles embraced the cowboy lifestyle, dressing up in cowboy hats and bolo ties while watching the Calgary Stampede during a visit to Canada in 1977.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
These joggers are so cool right now, even for dressing up with a chic peacoat or blazer.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2026
Not to be overly dramatic, but dressing up for the office is basically my nightmare.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
There are songs about dressing up in your Halloween costume, celebrating Halloween at school, and decorating the house in Halloween decorations.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 31 Oct. 2025
But what about the amateur adventurer who also enjoys dusting off and dressing up after a long day on the trail?
—AFAR Media, 24 Oct. 2025
Irene Richardson, InStyle, 6 Mar. 2026
The facile novelty of adultery is its own mask, a sexy way of dressing up a deep, frightened longing for security.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
The fall collection adds another brick, as Falcioni seeks to reignite the pleasure of toying with tailoring and dressing up.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
Andrew and King Charles embraced the cowboy lifestyle, dressing up in cowboy hats and bolo ties while watching the Calgary Stampede during a visit to Canada in 1977.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
These joggers are so cool right now, even for dressing up with a chic peacoat or blazer.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2026
Not to be overly dramatic, but dressing up for the office is basically my nightmare.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
There are songs about dressing up in your Halloween costume, celebrating Halloween at school, and decorating the house in Halloween decorations.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 31 Oct. 2025
But what about the amateur adventurer who also enjoys dusting off and dressing up after a long day on the trail?
—AFAR Media, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dressing up
Verb
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Seeing the wall police breached to give people inside the club a chance to get out, or the bathrooms and dressing rooms where people hid, prayed for survival or reached out to family and friends carries an impact that spells out this nation’s terrifying vulnerability to gun violence.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
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By Saturday, that approach had narrowed into black-on-black Balenciaga runway dressing.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Season 1, eight years after an unforgivable mistake nukes his promising college football career, hotshot quarterback Russ Holliday (Powell) tries to resurrect his dreams by disguising himself as Chad Powers — a talented oddball who walks on to the struggling South Georgia Catfish.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Carnival plays out in the movie’s background, adding life and music as well as disguising crimes perpetrated by those in power.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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These include El Niño, volcanic eruptions and the solar cycle, which influence temperatures in the short term, masking long-term changes.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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Some missile storage buildings are painted to resemble civilian structures, while others are covered with thermal-masking nets or earth barriers to reduce their heat and radar signatures.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Indiana lawmakers advanced a measure to require data center companies to fork over 1% of their sales tax exemption savings to local governments, sweetening the deal for local officials embroiled in the data center fights sweeping the state.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
3 Feb. 2026
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Instead of sweetening it, the relatives clamped a sugar cube between their incisors and loudly sucked the tea through it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For older water stains or for camouflaging other stains, Mock advises following a process that aims to blend the stain with the surrounding area, as lifting the stain entirely isn’t possible without discoloring the leather.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
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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
Verb
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The decrease solidified an improving trend over the prior two years, which saw only slight increases.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Is there an opening for improving things?—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That contrast — a polished surface concealing something sinister — appears to define the show’s visual and emotional language.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
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A day before the council met to discuss the new legislation, the Milwaukee Police Department modified its policies to explicitly prohibit officers from concealing their identity with face masks.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Ultimately, the performance of the IS system is commendable, effectively mitigating shake and enhancing viewing stability.—
Matt Morris,
Space.com,
4 Mar. 2026
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Adele's take on the shade honors her red roots, the choice enhancing her natural features for a lit-from-within glow.—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dressing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dressing%20up. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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