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ornate

adjective

ȯr-ˈnāt How to pronounce ornate (audio)
Definition of ornatenext
1
as in baroque
elaborately and often excessively decorated an ornate gambling casino that is designed to look like an Italian palace

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rhetorical
full of fine words and fancy expressions the ornate prose that was standard in all diplomatic correspondence in those days

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 ornate The collection takes the opulence of the French court-corsetry, dramatic volume, delicate lace, ornate embroidery, and lavish textiles. — Anika Reed, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026 Egyptian tourism and antiquities ministry Archaeologists also uncovered an ornate facade covered with funeral inscriptions, alongside formal depictions of the tomb's owner. — CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026 Thousands of years ago, the region was the southernmost capital of the Nabataeans—the ancient civilization that built Petra—whose ornate tombs are hewn into the rocks. — Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 Her original 1986-era ornate costumes (more than 200 in total) are back. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ornate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ornate
  1. baroque
  2. rhetorical
  3. decorated
  4. purple
  5. extravagant
  6. florid
  7. gilded
  8. flowery
Adjective
  • Dutch interior designer Wim van de Oudeweetering gave the interiors their distinctive, almost baroque character, layering rich fabrics, patterned walls, jewel tones, and theatrical details throughout.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara features open-heart motifs set with diamonds and 19 baroque pearls beneath.
    — Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of baroque
Adjective
  • By retaining too much of the play’s rhetorical architecture, the film turns a provocative dramatic premise into something closer to an illustrated thesis.
    — Beandrea July, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
  • His recollections often take the form of dialogues in which interlocutors meekly acknowledge his overwhelming rhetorical advantage.
    — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of rhetorical
Adjective
  • There are several good options here, but Perkins was a decorated player his first two years at LSU before an ACL tear altered his path.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 29 July 2026
  • Australian authorities have arrested and charged the country's most decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, 47, with five war crime murders allegedly committed during the war in Afghanistan.
    — Elaine Mallon, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of decorated
Adjective
  • Another fan, a nail artist, crafted spooky bespoke black and purple press-ons decorated with intricate white hares.
    — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • At Ogilvie Transportation Center's Metra Market, a purple piano is the one arrival no one expects.
    — Noel Brennan, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of purple
Adjective
  • Whereas Putin takes extravagant risks on the international stage but is loath to hold his associates accountable for incompetence, Xi is just the opposite.
    — Jonathan A. Czin, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Bob Mackie, the designer whose glittering, extravagant creations helped define the look of some of the 20th century’s biggest stars, has died at 87.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of extravagant
Adjective
  • One day, someone came in from a meditation-retreat center in a state of florid psychosis.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Mariachi, tequila, and the florid masculinity of charrería, Mexico's national equestrian sport, all originated in Jalisco, the state for which Guadalajara serves as capital.
    — Michael Snyder, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of florid
Adjective
  • Many of its stations look as though they were built for the tsars, clad in precious marble and adorned with mosaics, crystal chandeliers, sculptures, and gilded moldings.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The bathroom brings that rich blue into focus with its gilded vanity and various textures.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of gilded
Adjective
  • Her flowery dress was the brightest thing in our corner of the car.
    — Ledio Cakaj, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
  • He is never lost for words, his answers fluent, flowery and free of ums or ers.
    — Andy McGrath, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of flowery

Browse Nearby Words

ornaments
ornate
ornately
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Cite this Entry

“Ornate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ornate. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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