as in decorative
serving to add beauty
the chef tends to overuse sprigs of parsley and other embellishing garnishes on dishes that don't need them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in exaggerating
to add to the interest of by including made-up details
the story of the comic marriage proposal was embellished as it passed from one generation to the next in the family
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decorating
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming
the walls of the French restaurant are embellished with scenes of Parisian life
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of embellishing
Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
One of the standout footwear styles presented by Dior was a mule with a dramatically oversized rosette embellishing the upper, coming in different colors including a pastel plaid.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
The spread of banchan—side dishes that fill out a traditional Korean meal—that surrounds the central grill serves as a choose-your-own-adventure map for perfectly embellishing your meats of choice.
—Irene Yoo
september 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
Inch by inch, the AI aids the person in embellishing the delusion.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
The sweater’s drop shoulder gives it a relaxed look, and the patch pockets on the pants are both practical and embellishing.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
That calls for a little extra creativity from its mom — and the movie’s narrator (Emilia Clarke) — who wriggles her mandibles and gets to work embellishing upon what Dahl imagined.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
One of the standout footwear styles presented by Dior was a mule with a dramatically oversized rosette embellishing the upper, coming in different colors including a pastel plaid.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
The spread of banchan—side dishes that fill out a traditional Korean meal—that surrounds the central grill serves as a choose-your-own-adventure map for perfectly embellishing your meats of choice.
—Irene Yoo
september 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
Inch by inch, the AI aids the person in embellishing the delusion.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
The sweater’s drop shoulder gives it a relaxed look, and the patch pockets on the pants are both practical and embellishing.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellishing
Adjective
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These decorative brooms are made from pine straw and infused with cinnamon oil for a warm, seasonal scent.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Oct. 2025
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In the months since, more portraits in more opulent and baroque frames, and added decorative ornaments in shiny gold — including wall finials and fireplace accents — have been added.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the series, Gacy enjoyed talking about many of his accomplishments and exaggerating some of his stories.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
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Blumenthal apologized for exaggerating his military record in 2010 after an investigation by the New York Times.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ahead of the holiday, Paris was also photographed decorating her house.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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Chrome’s versatility, affordability, and natural shine give it fresh appeal for decorating, and the vibrant metallic is dressing up everyday decor and fixtures.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Indiana has rich biodiversity with thousands of species in unique habitats, but the ornamental plant trade, globalization and development have introduced new threats to these ecosystems.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Spring is ideal for planting flowering shrubs, perennials, and ornamental trees such as azaleas, hydrangeas, and dogwoods.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Areas that have yet to see much fall coloring, or have patches of it this season, are most of Texas, as well as Louisiana and Florida.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
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The work—in a way, a series of encounters with random elements of one-click consumerism, including coloring books and marketing guides for dentists—is tedious, repetitive, and demoralizing.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This time around, Faracy wore a gilded replica of the look, consisting of a gold corset with a gold cone bra, an assortment of gold chains, gold hoop earrings, and a gold hairpiece adorning her high ponytail.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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At the front of the shop is a mélange of plants adorning the main window.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Schwartzman has been padding his resume with a slew of producing and directing projects.—
Ilana Kaplan,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
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Although Cameron maintains a steady polling advantage over Barr, third-quarter filings show he’s fallen further behind in padding his campaign coffers ahead of the May 2026 primary.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Saft remade it in soft, creamy shades, draping the bed in a linen cover that pooled lavishly on the floor.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
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Through draping, Yin created volumes and shapes as if they were achieved via padding, but in fact were just clever patterns.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Embellishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellishing. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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