Dictionary

embellish en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɪmˈbɛlɪʃ/
• /ɛm-/

Etymology

From Middle English embelishen, from Old French embellir, from em- + bel.

Meanings

1. To make more beautiful and attractive by adding ornamentation; to decorate.
   • He was a notable patron of the arts who lavishly embellished his royal residences and rebuilt and enlarged Westminster Abbey, destined as the burialplace of himself and many of his successors, in honor of his patron saint, Edward the Confessor. 1998, C.H. Knowles, “Henry III (1207-1272; r. 1216-72)”, in Medieval England: An Encyclopedia, Garland Publishing, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 345, column 2:
   • The old book cover was embellished with golden letters
2. (broadly) To enhance by adding something not strictly integral or necessary.
   • A Scythian Shepherd, so imbelliſhed With Natures pride, and richeſt furniture? His looks do menace heauen & dare the Gods, His fiery eies are fixt vpon the earth. c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
   • Podolski gave Walcott a chance to further embellish Arsenal's first-half performance when he eluded James Perch and slipped the ball through to the striker. 2012 December 29, Paul Doyle, “Arsenal's Theo Walcott hits hat-trick in thrilling victory over Newcastle”, in The Guardian, London:
3. To make something sound or look better or more acceptable than it is in reality; to distort, embroider, or even misrepresent or lie.
   • to embellish a story, the truth

Forms

Deriveds

embellisher · overembellish · unembellishing · embellishable · disembellish · embellishingly · embellishment

Synonyms

adorn · ornament · prettify · decorate · beautify · deck · grace

Translations (88)

ar وَشى (to make more beautiful and attractive) · es embellecer (to make sound or look better) · hu díszít (to make more beautiful and attractive) · ja 尾鰭を付ける (to make sound or look better) · mi maihi (to make more beautiful and attractive) · de verschönern (to make more beautiful and attractive) · de verbrämen (to make sound or look better) · es adornar (to make sound or look better) · cs zdobit (to make more beautiful and attractive) · hy զարդարել (to make more beautiful and attractive) · tr güzelleştirmek (to make more beautiful and attractive) · pt embelezar (to make sound or look better) · de bereichern (to make more beautiful and attractive) · gd sgeadaich (to make sound or look better) · uk прикра́шувати (to make more beautiful and attractive) · fr embellir (to make more beautiful and attractive) · sv utsmycka (to make sound or look better) · hu szépít (to make more beautiful and attractive) · ga maisigh (to make more beautiful and attractive) · cs přikrášlit (to make sound or look better) · fi kaunistaa (to make more beautiful and attractive) · cmn 美化 (to make more beautiful and attractive) · ar جَمَّلَ (to make more beautiful and attractive) · ml അലങ്കരിക്കുക (to make more beautiful and attractive) · it agghindare (to make more beautiful and attractive) · sv försköna (to make more beautiful and attractive) · cs zkrášlit (to make more beautiful and attractive) · mi whakangako (to make more beautiful and attractive) · gd sgeadaich (to make more beautiful and attractive) · cmn 修飾 /修饰 (to make sound or look better) · io beleskar (to make more beautiful and attractive) · qu achalay (to make more beautiful and attractive) · el διακοσμώ (to make more beautiful and attractive) · hu kiszínez (to make sound or look better) · ru украша́ть (to make more beautiful and attractive) · de schönreden (to make sound or look better) · fi parannella (to make sound or look better) · de kaschieren (to make sound or look better) · ar زَخْرَفَ (to make more beautiful and attractive) · cmn 修飾 /修饰 (to make more beautiful and attractive) · it abbellire (to make sound or look better) · fi kaunistella (to make sound or look better) · ru приукра́шивать (to make sound or look better) · el στολίζω (to make more beautiful and attractive) · ar زَخْرَفَ (to make sound or look better) · it imbellettare (to make sound or look better) · it abbellire (to make more beautiful and attractive) · de ausschmücken (to make sound or look better) · uk прикра́си́ти (to make more beautiful and attractive) · de verschönern (to make sound or look better) · mi whakamōmona kōrero (to make sound or look better) · uk прикраша́ти (to make more beautiful and attractive) · mi whakahaumako (to make sound or look better) · nl verfraaien (to make more beautiful and attractive) · hu szépít (to make sound or look better) · it impreziosire (to make more beautiful and attractive) · fi somistaa (to make more beautiful and attractive) · mi maihi (to make sound or look better) · pt embelezar (to make more beautiful and attractive) · mi whakarākai (to make more beautiful and attractive) · cs ozdobit (to make more beautiful and attractive) · fa آراستن (to make more beautiful and attractive) · es embellecer (to make more beautiful and attractive) · de idealisieren (to make sound or look better) · ar جَمَّلَ (to make sound or look better) · el εξωραΐζω (to make sound or look better) · cs vyzdobit (to make more beautiful and attractive) · sv utsmycka (to make more beautiful and attractive) · de schmücken (to make more beautiful and attractive) · it adornare (to make more beautiful and attractive) · es atildar (to make sound or look better) · ru укра́сить (to make more beautiful and attractive) · mi whakarākei (to make more beautiful and attractive) · it impreziosire (to make sound or look better) · bg разкрасявам (to make more beautiful and attractive) · fi koristella (to make more beautiful and attractive) · fr embellir (to make sound or look better) · es hermosear (to make more beautiful and attractive) · sq ëmbelsoj (to make more beautiful and attractive) · mi whakahaumako (to make more beautiful and attractive) · it infronzolare (to make more beautiful and attractive) · sv förfina (to make more beautiful and attractive) · ja 飾る (to make more beautiful and attractive) · bg украсявам (to make more beautiful and attractive) · cmn 點綴 /点缀 (to make sound or look better) · tr süslemek (to make more beautiful and attractive) · sv försköna (to make sound or look better) · mi whakarārakai (to make more beautiful and attractive)