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
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Recent Examples of embellishing
Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
And the contour was subtle, embellishing the outer edges only.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
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
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
Verb
Across almost every level of competitive basketball, embellishing one’s height is so common as to be unremarkable.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
And the contour was subtle, embellishing the outer edges only.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellishing
Adjective
-
During the pandemic, Gary called in a team of decorative artists to repair the damage of time.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
Days later, everyone sitting around the table would be found dead in a home in nearby Rancho Santa Fe, a secluded, wealthy part of San Diego otherwise known for decorative citrus orchards, horse stables, and its elite country club.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Some may suspect the president is exaggerating.—
Drew Endy,
Washington Post,
4 June 2026
-
The companies, meanwhile, say opportunistic lawyers and public adjusters are playing to fears and driving up costs for everyone by exaggerating the risks and damage.—
Jason Henry,
Daily News,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Berk's spot in the Fab Five was replaced by Jeremiah Brent, who took on the role of interior design expert and decorating guru for the show's final two seasons.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
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However, professional designers are quick to pinpoint a handful of decorating choices that don't have a place in today's homes.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
There are bronze finishes and other ornamental details, like a bas-relief of the city’s famous skyline and a large station clock.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
-
These are purely an ornamental device, and the brilliant decision to include them, despite the fact that ornament is the only practical function, is a choice that only a designer in charge of her brand can make.—
Rachel Elspeth Gross,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
In the restaurant, there is no dedicated children’s menu but meal requests can be made, and there are coloring books and activity packs to keep little ones amused.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
The One Tree Hill actress was actually inspired by Morgan to stop coloring the gray hairs that had been sprouting up since her early 20s.—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Standing 566 feet high and crowned with a five-story ceramic cross, the central Tower of Jesus Christ is the highest of 18 adorning the Sagrada Família, a bucket-list item for most travelers to the city in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region.—
Claudio Lavanga,
NBC news,
10 June 2026
-
Kansas Citians are feeding into the excitement with events, decorations and more adorning the city.—
Zuri Primos
June 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Perhaps this isn’t new—Star Wars has been taking small moments from the original trilogy and padding them out for decades now—almost everything seen on screen in those first three films has been resurrected, fleshed out with backstories and unnecessary details.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
-
The stock closed at a record high of $237 — padding out year-to-date gains to 117%.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
These red carpet-worthy pieces include dramatically draping diamond necklaces, icy diamond and ruby bracelets, superb emerald and diamond jewels and celestial sapphire and diamond rings.—
Kyle Roderick,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Simple styling tricks like tying, wrapping, or draping a scarf can transform basic pieces into more polished, creative looks.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Embellishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellishing. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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