decorateverb
uk/ˈdek.ə.reɪt/us/ˈdek.ər.eɪt/decorate verb (MAKE ATTRACTIVE)
B1 [ T ] to add something to an object or place, especially in order to make it more attractive:
They decorated the wedding car with ribbons and flowers.
B1 [ I or T ] mainly UK US usually redecorate to paint the inside or outside of a house or put paper on the inside walls:
We're going to decorate the kitchen next week.
I hate the smell of paint when I'm decorating.
More examples
- He promised he'd help me decorate, but now he's trying to wriggle out of it.
- She's even decorated the spare room in anticipation of your visit.
- In the centre of the hall stood a colossal wooden statue, decorated in ivory and gold.
- She decorated the cake herself.
- When we moved in, the house hadn't been decorated for 20 years, and it showed.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Decorating or making something attractive
- accessorize
- adorn
- adornment
- beautify
- bedeck
- embellish
- festoon
- flatter
- flock
- garland
- glam
- glam (yourself) up
- ornamentation
- ornate
- pimp
- prettify
- redecorate
- twiddly
- window dressing
- zhuzh
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Building: interior decoration
decorate verb (HONOUR)
[ T ] to reward or honour a person by giving them something, especially a medal:
They were decorated for their part in the rescue.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Praising and applauding
- a pat on the back idiom
- acclaim
- acclamation
- accolade
- adulate
- cheer
- extol
- felicitations
- fete
- full marks to sb idiom
- give sb five idiom
- lay
- pat
- praise
- recognize
- rhapsody
- round of applause idiom
- shout-out
- sing
- sing the praises of sb/sth idiom
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