spruce up

phrasal verb

spruced up; sprucing up; spruces up
: to make (someone or something) look cleaner, neater, or more attractive
We spruced up the room with a fresh coat of paint.
I need to spruce myself up a bit before we go out to dinner.

Did you know?

titivate, spruce up, smarten up, or spiff up?

Titivate, spruce, smarten, and spiff all mean "to make a person or thing neater or more attractive." Titivate often refers to making small additions or alterations in attire ("titivate the costume with sequins and other accessories"), but it can also be used figuratively (as in "titivating the script for Broadway"). Spruce up is sometimes used for cosmetic changes or renovations that give the appearance of newness ("spruce up the house with new shutters and fresh paint before trying to sell it"). Smarten up and spiff up both mean to improve in appearance often by making more neat or stylish ("the tailor smartened up the suit with minor alterations"; "he needed some time to spiff himself up for the party"). The origins of titivate are uncertain, but it may have been formed from the English words tidy and renovate.

Examples of spruce up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Outdoor furniture isn’t just large umbrellas and seven-person dining sets, Wayfair has pieces that can spruce up any space before spring arrives. Shea Simmons, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025 The Gurnee Park District is developing plans to spruce up its Viking Park holdings after nearly 25 years. Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025 Think classic martinis being spruced up with pickle brine, wasabi and seasonal ingredients like amaretto and cinnamon. Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025 From storage baskets for cutting boards to stylish utensil crocks, Ina Garten shared her must-have kitchen items with Food Network to help her fans spruce up their kitchens with her daily essentials. Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spruce up

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Cite this Entry

“Spruce up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spruce%20up. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

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