1
as in to dress
to put on one's best or formal clothes
we always like to dress up when going to parties
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to disguise
to change the dress or looks of so as to conceal true identity
the war was a fiasco that the administration tried to dress up as a triumph
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in to clothe
to outfit with clothes and especially fine or special clothes
the girls were dressed up in skirts or dresses, but the boys were wearing jeans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dress up
Creamy Parmesan sauce dresses up bowtie pasta, collard greens, asparagus, and peas for a simple and nutritious main course.
—
Ashlyn Ware, Midwest Living, 24 Apr. 2026
Kayden McDonald and Colton Hood spent three long hours in the green room inside Acrisure Stadium on Thursday night all dressed up with nowhere to go.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
The color remains vibrant wash after wash, and the wide-leg pants have a drapey fit that can be dressed up or down.
—Paris Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
The main city of Visby is a gorgeous medieval town; our visit coincides with the annual Medieval Week, where all the locals dress up.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Ashlyn Ware, Midwest Living, 24 Apr. 2026
Kayden McDonald and Colton Hood spent three long hours in the green room inside Acrisure Stadium on Thursday night all dressed up with nowhere to go.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
The color remains vibrant wash after wash, and the wide-leg pants have a drapey fit that can be dressed up or down.
—Paris Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
The main city of Visby is a gorgeous medieval town; our visit coincides with the annual Medieval Week, where all the locals dress up.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dress up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress up
Verb
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There are tender chunks of organic rotisserie chicken, Little Gem lettuce, tiny garlicky croutons, avocado, parm, and a light coating of Caesar dressing (in addition to the cup on the side), in a grain-free Coyotas tortilla wrap.—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Apr. 2026
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Guests, including Chloe Malle, Amanda Seyfried, Huma Abedin, Aerin Lauder, and Steven Kolb, took their seats at tables dressed with Tory Burch’s Jardin d’Été poppy and mustard flower linens and listened to the class of 2026’s stories of resilience, entrepreneurship, and motherhood.—
Jenna Adrian-Diaz,
Vogue,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This sets up a bafflingly complex series of plots and counterplots that can’t quite disguise the fact that there only two people in the movie’s world with pockets deep enough to buy out the company.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
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Liquids are restricted to very small amounts because there have been terrorist plots in the past in which people disguised liquid explosives as innocuous substances like shampoo or soft drinks.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lemon gelatin and candied lemon slices add a spike of citrus.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
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The brand’s Añejo, served with traditional red mole and corn tortillas, has similar hazelnut notes, alongside candied orange and spices.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Thousands of people clad in red, white and blue waited hours in line to listen to Trump speak.—
Skyler Swisher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
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The long hours of immersion in cold water and the strain of swimming fully clothed through turbulent waves toward the tantalizingly near shoreline must have drained the last bit of endurance from him.—
Jim Hoagland,
Outdoor Life,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Looking to doll up your collarbones instead?—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
7 Oct. 2025
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The store had to be closed for several days while volunteers set the dolls up for display, and only 25 shoppers could be allowed in at a time for viewing because of the dolls’ values.—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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With the house emptied of living (and costumed) guests, its furnishings, in all their liveliness, appear only to mask an unnatural torpor.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
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Fabianne Therese plays a young woman on a hike in the woods with her boyfriend (Seann William Scott) who runs afoul of a bizarre, imposing figure (pro wrestler Max the Impaler) with a porcelain doll mask intent on raising her as a child.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Verb
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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,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the name suggests, the collection reworks camouflage as a collage-like reflection of culture in public spaces.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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Other towns across the country have tried to camouflage the communication towers as native foliage, albeit to mixed results.—
Elliot Mann,
Twin Cities,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dress up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20up. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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