1
as in to dress
to put on one's best or formal clothes
we always like to dress up when going to parties
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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
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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
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Examples of dress up in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
On a date, people are dressed up and act a certain way; maybe being a bit materialistic.
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Arielle Domb, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2024
Democratic governors are dressing up as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) for Halloween with just five days to go until Election Day.
Govs.
—Juliann Ventura, The Hill, 31 Oct. 2024
Carpenter also dressed up as Pinocchio’s Tinkerbell as well as a Playboy bunny during the show.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024
Outside of the Live bubble, other celebrity Halloween costumes this year included Janelle Monáe's disturbing getup as E.T., Halle Bailey dressing up as her name twin Halle Berry, and Drag Race star Jinkx Monsoon as legendary Pokémon Jynx (naturally).
—EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dress up 
Arielle Domb, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2024
Democratic governors are dressing up as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) for Halloween with just five days to go until Election Day.
Govs.
—Juliann Ventura, The Hill, 31 Oct. 2024
Carpenter also dressed up as Pinocchio’s Tinkerbell as well as a Playboy bunny during the show.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024
Outside of the Live bubble, other celebrity Halloween costumes this year included Janelle Monáe's disturbing getup as E.T., Halle Bailey dressing up as her name twin Halle Berry, and Drag Race star Jinkx Monsoon as legendary Pokémon Jynx (naturally).
—EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dress up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress up
Verb
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Carlton, on the other hand, suggests that female guests dress as a dandizette, the female dandy, whose signature look consists of pink shoes, white dresses, and gloves.Taylor Crumpton, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024
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Pair the elevated pullover with beige trousers for a polished ‘fit, or dress it down with jeans for a more casual, yet chic, look.Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
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In it, a group of alien invaders come to conquer Earth and disguise themselves in human form as a 1950s biker gang.Vogue, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2024
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According to some sources, people also disguised themselves in costumes made of animal hides in an attempt to scare away those unwelcome ghostly visitors.Aaron Mahnke, People.com, 27 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Jujube teas and jams, candied jujubes, and jujube supplements can be found online, in health food stores, or in local specialty markets.Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2024
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Fifth course: Giant cream puff, sugared blackberries, caramel and candied pecans.Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Accompanied by a versatile backing band of no less than 30 musicians, Wonder — clad in demin and a black Detroit Tigers cap — soared through his extensive repertoire, showing off his formidable abilities as a musician as well as his love for his audience.Caryn Rose, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
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Tucci, clothed in luxurious vestments, plays Bellini, a cardinal wrestling with his own ambitions.Esther Zuckerman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Wearing a look inspired by Barbie herself, Margot Robbie dolls up at this year's Gotham Awards on Nov. 27 in N.Y.C. 43 of 80 Night to Remember Bradley Cooper waves to onlookers outside of the 2023 Gotham Awards in New York City on Nov. 27.Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 30 Nov. 2023
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To further doll up your kitchen, Hilton’s main cutlery set features eight luxuriously golden knives with soft pink handles and gold accents.Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2023
Verb
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If stains are still slightly visible, consider masking them with furniture polish on wood cabinets or touching up paint where needed.Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Oct. 2024
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During this time, it’s believed people put out treats to appease these wandering spirits and masked and costumed themselves to dupe any evil Earth wanderers.Brittany Anas, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Using these picture modes should spruce things up enough for most viewers with any modern TV from brands like Sony, Samsung, Hisense, TCL, LG, and Roku.Ryan Waniata, WIRED, 12 Sep. 2024
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As for the primary suite, it has been spruced to the nines by the late French architect Thierry Despont.Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 1 July 2024
Verb
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Some options camouflage those dark spots and areas of hyperpigmentation.Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2024
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Footage from the first teaser trailer revealed a menacing monkey, camouflaged by shadows, winding up to play a drum set in front of a bloodied James.Andrés Buenahora, Variety, 15 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near dress up
Cite this Entry
“Dress up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20up. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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