as in dressing
to try to make yourself more attractive by making small changes to your clothes, hair, etc., especially while looking at yourself in a mirror
The teenagers spent hours primping in front of the mirror on the day of the prom.
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Recent Examples of primping
My introduction to Peters came late last year, when Instagram’s algorithm served me a video of him wearing a baseball cap, primping and pouting for the camera.
—
Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primping
dressing
Verb
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The Italian players spent the past 2½ weeks learning about their heritage, embracing dressing in fine suits and guzzling espresso in the dugout after home runs and in the clubhouse any time.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
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From lingerie slip dresses to LBDs covered in cutouts and frocks that are straight-up pieces of sheer fabric, celebrities continue to up the ante on barely-there dressing.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Primping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primping. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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