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
Relevance
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
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 embellishing
ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
While heading to a Late Show With Stephen Colbert appearance with the White Stripes frontman, Scarlett showed off her effortless transitional season style in an olive green jacket with rows of large gold buttons embellishing the front.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 7 Apr. 2026
Many arias from the 1800s include repeated verses to give the singers the opportunity to show off their coloratura skills by embellishing the sections of the songs the second time around.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Like the pharaohs and emperors of antiquity, the president weaponizes the past to justify his present actions and future plans, omitting and embellishing events of yesteryear to fit a bellicose agenda.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Like Frey, Lowell was a self-dramatizing fraudster, taking elements of her real life and grandly embellishing them.
—Michael Waters, New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2026
Many fans of the NBA today believe there are too many whistles, players embellishing for fouls, and superstar players conga lining to the free-throw line.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
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
Verb
In online chats with ADF members in Cameroon, Chungag falsely claimed to have combat experience in Iraq but appeared to be embellishing his military background to raise his profile in the group, the affidavit says.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
While heading to a Late Show With Stephen Colbert appearance with the White Stripes frontman, Scarlett showed off her effortless transitional season style in an olive green jacket with rows of large gold buttons embellishing the front.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 7 Apr. 2026
Many arias from the 1800s include repeated verses to give the singers the opportunity to show off their coloratura skills by embellishing the sections of the songs the second time around.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Like the pharaohs and emperors of antiquity, the president weaponizes the past to justify his present actions and future plans, omitting and embellishing events of yesteryear to fit a bellicose agenda.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Like Frey, Lowell was a self-dramatizing fraudster, taking elements of her real life and grandly embellishing them.
—Michael Waters, New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2026
Many fans of the NBA today believe there are too many whistles, players embellishing for fouls, and superstar players conga lining to the free-throw line.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellishing
Adjective
-
Interiors by Studio Architetto Mar, balance historic character with refined updates, highlighted by two reception rooms, a formal dining room, and a spacious chef’s kitchen dressed in decorative wallpaper.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The best luxury bath towels also feature decorative accents like embroidery and monogramming to elevate your washroom’s aesthetic.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By exaggerating the patients’ health problems, insurers collect larger payments from government without providing additional healthcare.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
-
But in early 2024, a short seller accused it of exaggerating the role of artificial intelligence in its business model, leading to a class action lawsuit and a 30% drop in its share price.—
Perrie M. Weiner,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
No detail was spared with Louis Vuitton tableware decorating every dining experience from lunches to dinners.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
1 May 2026
-
Take Inspiration from Cherished Memories Barry's decorating style is largely influenced by her family and childhood.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
For gardeners with lower humidity, ornamental oregano makes a stunning solo planting.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Place the bar of soap inside a mesh bag or a single sock, then hang it from the branches of fruit trees, ornamental shrubs, or a garden fence.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some activities aligned with a slower approach could include baking, gardening, sitting with your kids and talking or coloring rather than looking at a screen, and putting comfort first.—
Sari Hitchins,
Parents,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Each cookie has cheery yellow petals and a magenta center, with coloring strictly derived from vegetable juices.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Madonna honored the era with fishnets, metal studs and silver chains adorning a Givenchy mini plaid blazer by Riccardo Tisci.—
Luis Giraldo,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
-
The old-fashioned accent has recently gained a newfound popularity of late—particularly creative people are even adorning their lamps with brooches.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
From his earliest days as an agent, Meredith proudly flouted industry convention while inflating his own reputation and padding his bank account.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Without any workplace oversight, the baristas did the obvious, padding their breaks by ten, fifteen, twenty minutes.—
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Fragrant blue-green foliage is accented by unique flowers reminiscent of hops, with papery, rose-pink bracts draping the plant all summer.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The star's honey blonde hair was swept up into a twist at the top of her head with a long ponytail draping down and a few tendrils framing her face.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Embellishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellishing. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
