as in to decorate
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming
gone are the days when the high school prom was held in the gym, which had been gussied up for the occasion
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Recent Examples of gussy up
But why is Nvidia voluntarily forfeiting an accounting maneuver that helps companies gussy up their results?
—
Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2026
Multiple, vastly different environments offer a choose-your-own adventure of a stay: Stumble out of bed late and hit the pool chairs for some sun and hair of the dog, or gussy up for craft cocktails and haute bites.
—Nathan Tavares, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Jan. 2026
Alongside letting fans treat Majima like a Ken doll by fashioning his outfits, hairstyles, makeup, and jewelry, the game allows players to customize and gussy up his sea vessel.
—Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2025
This luxe velvet Jennifer Behr Velvet Bow Barrette is classic enough to pair with jeans and a white tee, but can easily gussy up a nap dress with a clip of its barrette (no behind-the-head, blind-tying necessary).
—Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 27 Sep. 2024
Our readers offered their hacks to gussy up a frozen pizza and tips to make it from scratch.
—Tejal Rao, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Took several payments of $350,000—to gussy up China’s image in the West.
—Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 14 July 2023
For a condiment upgrade, gussy up a bottle of ketchup with tahini.
—Joe Sevier, Bon Appétit, 14 June 2023
Chip and Joanna Gaines gussy up a boxed cake mix with yogurt, pudding mix and chocolate chips to make a showstopping sweet topped off with a homemade chocolate glaze.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2023
Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2026
Multiple, vastly different environments offer a choose-your-own adventure of a stay: Stumble out of bed late and hit the pool chairs for some sun and hair of the dog, or gussy up for craft cocktails and haute bites.
—Nathan Tavares, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Jan. 2026
Alongside letting fans treat Majima like a Ken doll by fashioning his outfits, hairstyles, makeup, and jewelry, the game allows players to customize and gussy up his sea vessel.
—Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2025
This luxe velvet Jennifer Behr Velvet Bow Barrette is classic enough to pair with jeans and a white tee, but can easily gussy up a nap dress with a clip of its barrette (no behind-the-head, blind-tying necessary).
—Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 27 Sep. 2024
Our readers offered their hacks to gussy up a frozen pizza and tips to make it from scratch.
—Tejal Rao, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Took several payments of $350,000—to gussy up China’s image in the West.
—Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 14 July 2023
For a condiment upgrade, gussy up a bottle of ketchup with tahini.
—Joe Sevier, Bon Appétit, 14 June 2023
Chip and Joanna Gaines gussy up a boxed cake mix with yogurt, pudding mix and chocolate chips to make a showstopping sweet topped off with a homemade chocolate glaze.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gussy up
Verb
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The bright, cheery room, decorated with technicolor serapes and paintings of idyllic tropical-village scenes, felt almost like a taunt.—
Daniel Brook,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Women’s short shorts are decorated with Smiley laser prints, while men’s Loose Jean Shorts and a matching button-down shirt feature a psychedelic Smiley laser design.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The melodic closer had the huge crowd energized and swaying along, as the nearly 50-foot stage, fully adorned in LED lights, beamed hypnotic celestial imagery in neon blue.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Mar. 2026
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For her grand debut, Princess Caroline's eldest daughter chose a Chanel dress in white and adorned with feathers, establishing a link with her mother's favorite maison.—
Diego Parrado,
Vanity Fair,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gussy up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gussy%20up. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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