spruce 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of sprucenext
as in elegant
being strikingly neat and trim in style or appearance a slim, spruce man in a tailor-made business suit

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spruce

2 of 2

verb

as in to trick

Related Words

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 spruce
Verb
According to Bauhus’s research, climate change has rendered the Black Forest largely uninhabitable to spruce. — Kendra Atleework, Longreads, 12 Mar. 2026 Fortunately, the wise old Professor Tangrowth is there to help spruce it up. — ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026 Something always needs stabilizing, fixing or sprucing in a 174-year-old building. — Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 19 Feb. 2026 Gallagher spent the first week of December sprucing it up, artfully decorating Christmas trees and doing her best to spread holiday cheer to the house's 150 families. — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 13 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spruce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spruce
  1. elegant
  2. trick
  3. smart
  4. improve
  5. stylish
  6. embellish
  7. fashionable
  8. doll up
Adjective
  • The iconic Fifth Avenue landmark has been turned into luxury apartments—one of which has been given a local’s elegant touch.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Al Mubarak was an elegant, articulate embodiment of a project many saw as an extension of Abu Dhabi soft power as much as a sheikh’s personal investment.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of elegant
Verb
  • RatHat relies heavily on tricking someone into installing a malicious Android app and approving powerful permissions.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In 1943, the British intelligence service, MI6, came up with a wacky strategy to trick Adolf Hitler into thinking the Allies planned to invade Greece and Sardinia (not true) instead of Sicily (true), which Nazi Germany was heavily defending.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of trick
Adjective
  • There will always be smart people, tech people, who don't have the world's best interests in mind.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And now there is Trudie’s Tavern, which opened this past summer in Carroll Gardens, a smart little restaurant that’s the most ambitious, and the most accomplished, of the three.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of smart
Verb
  • Key Takeaways Kettlebells are versatile tools that can improve lower-body strength, balance, core stability, and functional movement.
    — Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Open, consistent walking paths improve mobility without construction.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of improve
Adjective
  • The shoe choice is also in character for Parker, whose real-life wardrobe has long been closely associated with stylish and luxury footwear.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • These exist in both the structures of her music and the fantastical world building achieved through presenting herself as a stylish equine named Stella Stallion that exists in a natural wonderland world that’s like if Lisa Frank met Planet Earth.
    — Katie Bain, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of stylish
Verb
  • Both pieces from the look featured a bevy of sparkle and shine, thanks in no small part to the glittering tassels embellishing the bandeau and the maxiskirt.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Her fingers, capped in a fresh set of baby pink acrylic nails, were embellished with Super Bowl–size rings featuring her kids’ initials, a blinding diamond (engagement ring), and a copy of Charlie’s Presidential Medal of Freedom.
    — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of embellish
Adjective
  • This 15-room Georgian-era townhouse, tucked away in a residential street in Gardens (a fashionable neighborhood known for its restaurants, bars, and interior shops), is full of surprises.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Van Wissen and Lupker hope to expand the service to such fashionable cities as London, New York, Milan and Los Angeles, and are eyeing emerging destinations like Turkey and Morocco, too.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of fashionable
Verb
  • Hanging out was one thing, but the group also wanted to doll up the Potter franchise’s Ron Weasley.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Aug. 2026
  • And Millie Bobby Brown echoed a similar sentiment on her story, sharing Hottle's memorable shot holding a handmade King Kong doll up to the giant ape.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 22 July 2026
Definition of doll up

Phrases Containing spruce

Browse Nearby Words

sprouts
spruce
spruced
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Cite this Entry

“Spruce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spruce. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spruce

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