decorate
verb
dec·o·rate
ˈde-kə-ˌrāt 
decorated; decorating
1
: to add honor to
decorated commerce with the splendid virtues of honor and loyalty—
Geoffrey Household
Geoffrey Household2
: to furnish with something ornamental
decorate a room with artwork
decorating the Christmas tree
3
: to award a mark of honor to
a soldier decorated for valor
highly decorated war veterans
: to furnish something with ornamentation
decorating for the party
Synonyms
Examples of decorate in a Sentence
I always enjoy decorating the Christmas tree.
I decorated my apartment in dark colors.
Recent Examples on the Web
She was dressed in a robe decorated in tatreez (Palestinian embroidery), her strength of presence a reminder of her years-long commitment to Palestinian storytelling.
—Zahra Hankir, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Apr. 2024
And no visit is complete without snapping a few pictures of Motif No. 1, an iconic red fishing shack decorated with colorful buoys.
—Amy Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2024
On the first Decoration Day, 20,000 graves at Arlington Cemetery were decorated, and future President James Garfield gave a speech, the History Channel reports.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
In tribute to that heritage, Chanel is releasing four pink editions—two J12s and two Boyfriend models—decorated liberally with the rosy hue.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom residence — listed for $245,000 — has a 2,034-square-foot interior decorated with a glossy ebony throughout, from the the walls to the flooring to the decor.
—Tj MacIas, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
Numerous people shared photos of cars decorated with eclipse messaging.
—Maura Barrett, NBC News, 8 Apr. 2024
Besides, the standard German combat helmet of that period was minimally decorated, and probably less than ideal for those looking to dress up as Nazis.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The eggs were decorated with the couple’s names, as well as little cartoon bunnies, chicks and carrots, and sat in matching baskets.
—Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
Zahra Hankir, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Apr. 2024
And no visit is complete without snapping a few pictures of Motif No. 1, an iconic red fishing shack decorated with colorful buoys.
—Amy Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2024
On the first Decoration Day, 20,000 graves at Arlington Cemetery were decorated, and future President James Garfield gave a speech, the History Channel reports.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
In tribute to that heritage, Chanel is releasing four pink editions—two J12s and two Boyfriend models—decorated liberally with the rosy hue.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom residence — listed for $245,000 — has a 2,034-square-foot interior decorated with a glossy ebony throughout, from the the walls to the flooring to the decor.
—Tj MacIas, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
Numerous people shared photos of cars decorated with eclipse messaging.
—Maura Barrett, NBC News, 8 Apr. 2024
Besides, the standard German combat helmet of that period was minimally decorated, and probably less than ideal for those looking to dress up as Nazis.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The eggs were decorated with the couple’s names, as well as little cartoon bunnies, chicks and carrots, and sat in matching baskets.
—Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'decorate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near decorate
Cite this Entry
“Decorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decorate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decorate
verb
dec·o·rate
ˈdek-ə-ˌrāt
decorated; decorating
1
: to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming
decorate a room
2
: to award a decoration of honor to
decorate a soldier for bravery
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share