as in elegant
being strikingly neat and trim in style or appearance
a slim, spruce man in a tailor-made business suit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of spruce
Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2025
And there is no better brand for sprucing than Breville.
—Lizzy Briskin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
The 34-mile road winds through several ecosystems from cove hardwood to northern hardwood to pine oak to spruce fir.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2025
Available in various colors, from black to blush pink patent leather, the closed toe pumps offer an adjustable buckle slingback strap and fun geometric side cut-outs that spruce your outfit up.
—Meaghan Kenny, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spruce
Verb
Very few of today’s displays predate the 1990s, with some being renovated over the years to either spruce them up or change their theme.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2025
And there is no better brand for sprucing than Breville.
—Lizzy Briskin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
The 34-mile road winds through several ecosystems from cove hardwood to northern hardwood to pine oak to spruce fir.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2025
Available in various colors, from black to blush pink patent leather, the closed toe pumps offer an adjustable buckle slingback strap and fun geometric side cut-outs that spruce your outfit up.
—Meaghan Kenny, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spruce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spruce
Adjective
-
This reversible option is no exception, with its appealing yellow color and elegant floral pattern.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
-
With refined decor and an intimate residential ambience, guests will feel like locals checking into an elegant Manhattan townhouse—without sacrificing the white-glove service and amenities of a five-star hotel, of course.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Deed theft is when a scammer steals someone's home, often by forging documents or tricking someone into signing over a deed.—
Tim McNicholas,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
But ShinyHunters has been known to use English-language phone calls and impersonation to trick victims, or what’s known as voice phishing.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
August 23 – September 22 A smart adjustment today creates more momentum than effort.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
This white chocolate bar is creamy and ultra-sweet, and the great minds at TJ’s were smart to distract from the one-note flavor with crunchy little cookie crumbles.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Parker now has several options to improve an area that hasn’t been a strength in Dallas for a while.—
Jon Machota,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
In good economic times, that’s hundreds of millions of dollars each year for upgrading classrooms, boosting teacher pay, improving security, and enriching learning in our schools.—
Kevin Vick,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Shot with cold control in black and white by cinematographer Kyle Deitz, Wiseman’s feature debut is a stylish thriller that launched at regional festivals in 2024; what must have seemed near-future about it then seems almost too present-day in 2026.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Every summer, stylish crowds congregate along France’s southeastern shores, seduced by the glamorous promise of the French Riviera, spending their days sipping overpriced cocktails at the high-end resorts that line its sandy beaches as if plucked straight from a Slim Aarons photo.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In online chats with ADF members in Cameroon, Chungag falsely claimed to have combat experience in Iraq but appeared to be embellishing his military background to raise his profile in the group, the affidavit says.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Sections of the granite supports of the Keck statue are cannily manipulated and embellished with stars and swirling vortex-forms in Lithichrome paint into works of art themselves.—
Horace D. Ballard,
Artforum,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Massive modern skyscrapers dominate the horizon, complemented by fashionable retail outlets.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
From its round neck and hem to its striped fabric, there are a few things that elevate this Automet top from a basic tee to a fashionable find.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Harmon isn’t just hungry to close this out with a natty after the Horns tied for second place in the SEC regular season.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
-
That is, somehow, not all that unfolds in Season 4’s final four episodes, but the real pleasure of this entry is watching all of this unspool in natty succession.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spruce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spruce. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
