1
as in to exaggerate
to add to the interest of by including made-up details
the story of the comic marriage proposal was embellished as it passed from one generation to the next in the family
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decorate
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming
the walls of the French restaurant are embellished with scenes of Parisian life
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 embellish
Before ammunition was personalized with messages, gun magazines and weapons themselves were often embellished with inscriptions.
—
Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025
Media outlets like National Geographic and polar explorers questioned whether some of his claims were embellished (which O'Brady forcefully denied) and criticized the all-land route that included traveling on pre-existing tracks.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
But the immediacy of One Battle After Another—with its ICE-like detention camps, unlawful militias storming American streets, and elites who promote white supremacy in closed-door meetings—was intended to embellish the spirit of Vineland rather than undermine it.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
The spread of banchan—side dishes that fill out a traditional Korean meal—that surrounds the central grill serves as a choose-your-own-adventure map for perfectly embellishing your meats of choice.
—Irene Yoo
september 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for embellish
Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025
Media outlets like National Geographic and polar explorers questioned whether some of his claims were embellished (which O'Brady forcefully denied) and criticized the all-land route that included traveling on pre-existing tracks.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
But the immediacy of One Battle After Another—with its ICE-like detention camps, unlawful militias storming American streets, and elites who promote white supremacy in closed-door meetings—was intended to embellish the spirit of Vineland rather than undermine it.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
The spread of banchan—side dishes that fill out a traditional Korean meal—that surrounds the central grill serves as a choose-your-own-adventure map for perfectly embellishing your meats of choice.
—Irene Yoo
september 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for embellish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellish
Verb
-
Machado also pushed back on suggestions that Venezuela’s role in drug trafficking had been exaggerated to support the argument of those calling for regime change.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Blazy exaggerated the frayed hems that Coco Chanel loved into ragged edges by letting the cloth be overtaken slowly with tiny hanging strings of beads.—
Nathan Heller,
Vogue,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Jen went into Dedication Night with a special boost, courtesy of husband Zac Affleck, who collected stories from fans and friends of how Jen has inspired them and decorated her trailer with them ahead of her performance.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Vintage photos decorate the walls and the extensive menu covers breakfast, lunch and dinner classics, from eggs Benedict and patty melts to floats and ice cream sundaes.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Winning so frequently while ranking second on the Betrayal Index enhances Mayfield's MVP credentials.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The Featherweight StyleMax Hair Dryer is one of the best hair dryers for curly hair due to its diffuser, comb, and concentrator attachments that enhance types 2A to 4C hair, as well as its accommodating selection of heat and airflow settings.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Jasper runner model got a rose pink or mountain green colorway update, and is adorned with suede patchwork pegasus motifs and ponytail-like fringe details at the back, a nod to the upcoming year of the horse in the Chinese lunar calendar.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Vivid frescoes and ornate details of Renaissance and Mannerism elegance adorn the interior.—
Fulvio De Bonis,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And New England’s hot combo of QB Drake Maye and WR Stefon Diggs will pad their stats against New Orleans.—
Kevin Cusick,
Twin Cities,
12 Oct. 2025
-
His interviews with players pad their NIL earnings.—
Mitch Sherman,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Embellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellish. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share