embellish
verb
em·bel·lish
im-ˈbe-lish 
embellished; embellishing; embellishes
1
: to make beautiful with ornamentation : decorate
a book embellished with illustrations
2
: to heighten the attractiveness of by adding decorative or fanciful details : enhance
embellished our account of the trip
embellisher
noun
Did you know?
Embellish is related to the French word for "beautiful," bel, and, traditionally, it has been used to imply beautifying an object with the addition of things unessential. That's still true; however, it is equally appealing as an adjective for making statements or stories sound more entertaining.
Synonyms
Examples of embellish in a Sentence
a book embellished with colorful illustrations
He embellished his speech with a few quotations.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adele donned a sweeping black gown with a portrait neckline, embellished with glistening black baubles, her hair long and loose.
—
Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2024
Nancy embellished and subtracted, like a great writer does.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
The bottle is housed in a custom spherical decanter embellished with peridot, emerald quartzite and 24 carat gold plating created by computational architect Michael Hansmeyer.
—Alissa Fitzgerald, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
The top was a sleeveless, button-down tunic with a sheer, wide hem embellished with sparkly beads, worn over a pair of ankle-length, wide-leg trousers in the same black silk fabric.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for embellish 
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.
Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2024
Nancy embellished and subtracted, like a great writer does.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
The bottle is housed in a custom spherical decanter embellished with peridot, emerald quartzite and 24 carat gold plating created by computational architect Michael Hansmeyer.
—Alissa Fitzgerald, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
The top was a sleeveless, button-down tunic with a sheer, wide hem embellished with sparkly beads, worn over a pair of ankle-length, wide-leg trousers in the same black silk fabric.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for embellish
Articles Related to embellish
Dictionary Entries Near embellish
Cite this Entry
“Embellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embellish. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
embellish
verb
em·bel·lish
im-ˈbel-ish
: to make beautiful with ornamentation : decorate
a book embellished with pictures
embellishment
noun
-mənt
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share