as in decorative
serving to add beauty
the chef tends to overuse sprigs of parsley and other embellishing garnishes on dishes that don't need them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in exaggerating
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decorating
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of embellishing
Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
That calls for a little extra creativity from its mom — and the movie’s narrator (Emilia Clarke) — who wriggles her mandibles and gets to work embellishing upon what Dahl imagined.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
One of the standout footwear styles presented by Dior was a mule with a dramatically oversized rosette embellishing the upper, coming in different colors including a pastel plaid.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 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
Inch by inch, the AI aids the person in embellishing the delusion.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
The sweater’s drop shoulder gives it a relaxed look, and the patch pockets on the pants are both practical and embellishing.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
In Babylonian and Assyrian artworks, too, feathers are often seen covering the bodies of deities or embellishing royal crowns.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
That calls for a little extra creativity from its mom — and the movie’s narrator (Emilia Clarke) — who wriggles her mandibles and gets to work embellishing upon what Dahl imagined.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
One of the standout footwear styles presented by Dior was a mule with a dramatically oversized rosette embellishing the upper, coming in different colors including a pastel plaid.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 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
Inch by inch, the AI aids the person in embellishing the delusion.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
The sweater’s drop shoulder gives it a relaxed look, and the patch pockets on the pants are both practical and embellishing.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellishing
Adjective
-
This cropped version comes in 10 colors, and the open-front design has large buttons for decorative flair.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
11 Nov. 2025
-
For extra seclusion, guests can shut a floor-to-ceiling decorative gate separating the wing from the rest of the hallway.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In the series, Gacy enjoyed talking about many of his accomplishments and exaggerating some of his stories.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Blumenthal apologized for exaggerating his military record in 2010 after an investigation by the New York Times.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
For me, decorating is self-care.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The rise of this trend for the 2025 holiday season seems in line with this year’s general propensity for bringing back classic and retro themes for hosting and decorating, starting with winter fondue parties and landing us in a cozy plaid Christmas.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This is why gatherings like the Design Table—and the larger framework of ESSENCE Community Compass—are essential, not ornamental.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Indiana has rich biodiversity with thousands of species in unique habitats, but the ornamental plant trade, globalization and development have introduced new threats to these ecosystems.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The chromium in the pan can react to high temperatures, leading to rainbow coloring on stainless steel.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
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Though some fans online have wondered if the Grammy winner is sporting a wig in the photo, Grande appears to have confirmed that the change is more permanent by tagging Francesco De Chiara, who specializes in hair coloring.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Kate wore a black Alessandra Rich dress with a white collar and white lace detailing, adorning it with a red poppy flower in her lapel and a cross necklace.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
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The celebration is necessary, considering HomeGoods conducted a survey that found 63 percent of people (among 1,000 early decorators and 500 non-early decorators) believe adorning your space early invites judgment.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Schwartzman has been padding his resume with a slew of producing and directing projects.—
Ilana Kaplan,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
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Although Cameron maintains a steady polling advantage over Barr, third-quarter filings show he’s fallen further behind in padding his campaign coffers ahead of the May 2026 primary.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The silhouette of the dress was mostly fitted, but with the draping element and asymmetric design, the frock featured some fluidity of movement.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
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Skirmishing, partying, carving cups, draping themselves in fur, making smart headgear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Embellishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellishing. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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