ornament 1 of 2

ornament

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ornament different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of ornament are adorn, beautify, deck, decorate, embellish, and garnish. While all these words mean "to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential," ornament and embellish imply the adding of something extraneous, ornament stressing the heightening or setting off of the original.

a white house ornamented with green shutters

When is it sensible to use adorn instead of ornament?

The synonyms adorn and ornament are sometimes interchangeable, but adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself.

a diamond necklace adorned her neck

How are the words beautify and embellish related as synonyms of ornament?

Beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness.

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

When might deck be a better fit than ornament?

In some situations, the words deck and ornament are roughly equivalent. However, deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

In what contexts can decorate take the place of ornament?

While in some cases nearly identical to ornament, decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

When can embellish be used instead of ornament?

The words embellish and ornament are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, embellish often stresses the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

Where would garnish be a reasonable alternative to ornament?

Although the words garnish and ornament have much in common, garnish suggests decorating with a small final touch and is used especially in referring to the serving of food.

an entrée garnished with parsley

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 ornament
Noun
Their distinctive products include lowball tumblers, decanters, and pitchers as well as decor like holiday ornaments. Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025 Lying and cheating corrupt the information content of the ornament, and that process is just, like, part of life. Quanta Magazine, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
Its spa-like en suite is ornamented by Italian marble with black highlight inserts from Spain, two separate vanities, a steam shower, a separate tub and bountiful storage. Karen A. Avitabile, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2025 Later, during an extensive renovation, officials recognized the worth of ornamenting the building and thus the value of Ezekiel’s statues. Samantha Baskind, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ornament
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ornament
Noun
  • For her, the shelves of novels are more than just decorations.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
  • These towering decorations are easy to set up and feature built-in, glowing lights to dial up the spookiness.
    Nora Colomer may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Families can enjoy painting a watercolor on the terrace with local artist Nancy Willis or a cookie-decorating class with Pastry Chef Celine Plano.
    Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Its reversible design offers you the unique opportunity to decorate with the seasons—the lighter side for spring and summer and the darker to capture the moodiness of fall and winter.
    Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Studs, leopard print, and DIY ornamentation sit alongside soft pastels, swirling graphic patterns, and a Nouveau color palette inspired by the Parisian Metropolitain signs.
    Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Born into postwar optimism in the mid-20th century, the movement favored steel, concrete, and insulated glass in defiance of ornamentation.
    Will Speros, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Dainty gold buckles adorn the soft suede straps that will hold your feet firmly in place, and the square toe design offers room for your toes to sit comfortably without feeling squished.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The father-son duo both towered over Hargitay, adorning casual clothing in snaps taken from their visit.
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Its scoop neck also creates space for a necklace stack (take it from us and amplify the beige-adjacent color with gold adornments).
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2025
  • Sequin beads and delicate embroidery are some of the most common adornments–though feathers and fil-coupe are thrown in the mix from time to time, as well.
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ornament.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ornament. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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