How to Use dress-up in a Sentence

dress-up

1 of 2 noun
  • Shop more options below, including a dress-up kit for Skelly and a couple other matching dogs to keep him company.
    Clint Davis, Peoplemag, 25 July 2024
  • This is hardly Clive’s first dress-up session with Kate at the helm.
    Korin Miller, Women's Health, 21 Apr. 2023
  • Apart from playing dress-up, the kids indulged in tea, fruit, croissants, and donuts.
    Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024
  • In June, the pair treated fans to a glimpse of one of those vacation dress-up moments.
    Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2023
  • Morse joked that the dress-up loving couple could not have planned it better.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 Nov. 2023
  • What if, instead of a high school tradition, the dress-up bit was part of a silly shtick for the town follies?
    Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2023
  • Much of the fun in the film comes from Barbie literally playing dress-up.
    Time, 11 July 2023
  • In an Instagram post from March 1, the mom and daughter enjoyed some closet dress-up time in a cute video.
    Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 18 Aug. 2023
  • Brill has a rodent-like high energy as Cohn, and Bauer has fun playing dress-up.
    Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Oct. 2023
  • Each matinee will be preceded by pre-show dress-up party, a first for the ballet.
    Lezlie Sterling, Sacramento Bee, 16 Feb. 2024
  • Tuck books into baskets or hang dress-up costumes from hooks on a pegboard.
    Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Mar. 2023
  • Our list this year spans price, complexity and time, with a gift for everyone, from the 6-year-old playing dress-up to the 60-year-old war-gamer.
    James Palmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
  • Even good intentions have bad timing these days as Sunday was rookie dress-up day for the Sox.
    Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Sep. 2023
  • Bond over dress-up dates, epic live shows, and glamorous experiences that keep the two of you up until sunrise.
    The Astrotwins, ELLE, 1 Sep. 2023
  • Her leading on both ends explains why the record sounds like the perfect soundtrack to the Barbie dress-up games of the early 2000s that died when Adobe Flash Player did.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2023
  • For example, if your child loves the movie The Little Mermaid, then look for toys like mermaid dress-up clothes or mermaid toys.
    Jessica Booth, Parents, 1 Nov. 2023
  • Red carpet, pink carpet: There’s a great appetite for glamour of the dress-up variety at the moment.
    Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023
  • Lizzo’s Lady Grinch costume is the latest in a string of holiday dress-ups.
    Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 14 Dec. 2023
  • At the same time, makeup can be fun for role-playing dress-up, required for stage performances, and just a form of expression.
    Rich Scherr, Parents, 9 Jan. 2024
  • Being a woman and making a living as a singer-songwriter, chances are you’re treated like a dress-up doll.
    Billboard Japan, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2023
  • Getting to play dress-up in her closet, as Kaia Gerber can attest.
    Alex Apatoff, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2023
  • Beauty lovers, cosmetics-counter newbies and even young ones who love to play dress-up in the mirror can get behind a good makeup gift set.
    Leigh-Ann Jackson, wsj.com, 11 Dec. 2023
  • In a conference room, I was allowed to play dress-up, trying on one green or greige piece of clothing on top of another, lasagna style.
    Patricia Marx, The New Yorker, 19 June 2023
  • These days, Stephanie's costume is a fun game of dress-up for her daughter, Mica, who posted on X about trying on the iconic uniform.
    Jacklyn Krol, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023
  • Chenille and linen present a more casual, sporty vibe, even though these, too, can also be considered dress-up.
    Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024
  • Or maybe there’s no message intended here and the whole exercise was just an excuse to allow friends Anne and Jessica to play dress-up for a few weeks.
    Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Mar. 2024
  • Roan has worked hard to build a live show to match the theatrical quality of her music, complete with different dress-up themes for every date.
    Ellise Shafer, Variety, 22 Sep. 2023
  • The series treats Chopra Jonas a little too much like a doll to play dress-up with, though Nadia’s characterization could come in later episodes.
    Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Apr. 2023
  • The women also had a little dress-up fun at the Chiefs' annual holiday party at the pop-up bar Miracle on Dec. 1.
    Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 1 Jan. 2024
  • Manning often shares photos of his kids on Twitter (McGrew is not on social media), which show them spending time in the pool, out to eat and playing dress-up.
    Emily J. Shiffer, Peoplemag, 19 Jan. 2024
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dress up

2 of 2 verb
  • But this Friday, I’m getting dressed up as Audrey Hepburn!
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2024
  • These versatile jeans can be dressed up with a chic blazer for an evening out, or kept casual and cool with a pair of sneakers for a day of biking throughout the city.
    Riana Singh, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2024
  • Hot dogs are the perfect food to dress up to your taste.
    Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2022
  • Phoebe Gates got all dressed up last week for a good cause.
    Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 19 July 2023
  • Not to mention that it can be worn dressed up and down.
    Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2023
  • Here, some of the most stylish ways to dress up your doors for the festive season.
    Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 11 Nov. 2022
  • There's no need to get all dressed up to match your mini-me.
    Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 2 May 2024
  • The tracksuit could be dressed up with a pair of shiny loafers, a watch, and a necklace.
    Essence, 21 June 2024
  • The jeans have a high-rise, straight-leg fit that’s comfy, stylish, and easy to dress up or down.
    Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024
  • Metallics are such a great neutral to dress up just about any look.
    Alexis Bennett, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2022
  • Since this is a special night, ask your friends to dress up in their cutest ‘fits.
    Leah Campano, Seventeen, 30 Jan. 2023
  • No… [laughs] That’s a song full of shadows but dressed up to seem shiny – a bit like me.
    Billboard Italy, Billboard, 22 Mar. 2024
  • No, not French fries dressed up with a little Conecuh sausage.
    Lawrence Specker | , al, 4 Apr. 2023
  • For couples, this is a great time to dress up and hit the town for some posh outings.
    The Astrotwins, ELLE, 30 Nov. 2022
  • Lola dressed up for the occasion in the cutest two-piece set.
    Hannah Oh, Seventeen, 29 June 2023
  • They are made of a soft, stretchy organic blend and are easy to dress up or down.
    Nora Colomer, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2024
  • This is a great jacket to wear to any party and dress up your evening looks.
    Sarah Boyd, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2022
  • Lingerie isn't the only way to dress up for the most romantic day of the year.
    Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 6 Dec. 2022
  • Go with heels and a button-down blouse to dress up your denim.
    Lindsey Greenfeld, Peoplemag, 28 Sep. 2022
  • Your new pup will be all dressed up and ready to head to his or her fur-ever home.
    Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 10 July 2023
  • Chelsea boots are great because they can be dressed up and dressed down.
    John Thompson, Men's Health, 30 Mar. 2023
  • The shorts are also easy to dress up or down, a hallmark of a wardrobe staple.
    Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 27 July 2024
  • Buttons and beads aren't the only way to dress up a friendship bracelet.
    Corinne Sullivan, Good Housekeeping, 11 Nov. 2022
  • Sprinkle with parsley and chives to dress up this dish.
    Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2024
  • There’s nothing like dressing up for a big night on the town, or on the runway with dad.
    Samantha Conti, WWD, 13 Sep. 2024
  • The founder’s favorite part of the evening wasn’t playing dress up, however.
    Christian Allaire, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2023
  • Looking for a place to dress up a little and toast each other?
    Margaret Littman, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Feb. 2023
  • The slides can easily be dressed up with a maxi dress or down with a swimsuit and coverup.
    Gabriella Maestri, Travel + Leisure, 10 Aug. 2024
  • The food posted to the text thread isn’t elaborate, dressed up, or spread across a table.
    Jordan P. Hickey, Longreads, 22 Feb. 2024
  • Pair with dark-toned jeans for a versatile look that's both dressed up and down.
    Maverick Li, Men's Health, 14 July 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dress-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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