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
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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
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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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Recent Examples of embellishing
Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
In Babylonian and Assyrian artworks, too, feathers are often seen covering the bodies of deities or embellishing royal crowns.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for embellishing
Adjective
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With sturdy construction, ample shelf space, and glass doors, china cabinets are excellent for storing and displaying delicate china sets, trinkets, decorative plates, heirloom decor, and more.—
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Proper Poinsettia Care as a Perennial In order to keep your poinsettia happy and blooming, the decorative foil is the first thing that has got to go.—
Verb
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Studies have found that companies tend to buy cheap, low-quality carbon credits, which run a risk of exaggerating their carbon reduction claims or providing results that would have happened anyway, leaving no real climate benefit.—
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Democratic officials have pushed back, arguing that the president is exaggerating the need to combat crime in the city for political gain.—
Verb
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However, decorating is a marathon—not a sprint.—
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My husband devotes many hours to baking all the desserts, shopping for food and drinks, and lavishly decorating the house.—
Adjective
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Always Remove Broken Branches Winter is hard on our smaller woody shrubs, fruit trees, and ornamental trees.—
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Taking over a 19th-century townhouse with ornamental window frames and swirling wrought-iron balcony consoles, âme doesn’t strike you as a hotel at first.—
Verb
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Some of his favorite activities include coloring with chalk on the pavement, swinging at the playground, sunbathing on warm days, visiting the trampoline park, playing Bocce, and going on field trips that spark his curiosity.—
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Add the onion and fennel and cook until the vegetables soften without coloring, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.—
Verb
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Also adorning the topper are 2,867 other diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 269 pearls, according to the Royal Collection Trust.—
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Local Los Angeles landmark Vasquez Rocks feature prominently at the back of the float, paying homage to its role as a frequent Star Trek filming location, with interactive transporters adorning the center of the float.—
Verb
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In particular, middle-market deal volume was low this year with those large M&A transactions padding the stats, according to a S&P Global analysis of deal-making as of November.—
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The Bruins blasted Ralston Valley 56-28 on Saturday in the Class 5A championship at Canvas Stadium, padding their ongoing dynasty that is showing no signs of slowing up.—
Verb
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Antique furniture and draping curtains secure a feeling of heritage.—
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Ultra-maximalist patterns, heavy fabrics like velvet, and over-the-top ornate draping styles won't quite fit into today's spaces.—
Cite this Entry
“Embellishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embellishing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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