embellish

[ em-bel-ish ]

verb (used with object)

1. to beautify by or as if by ornamentation; ornament; adorn.

   Synonyms: embroider, bedeck, garnish, decorate

2. to enhance (a statement or narrative) with fictitious additions.

embellish

/ ɪmˈbɛlɪʃ /

verb

1. to improve or beautify by adding detail or ornament; adorn
2. to make (a story) more interesting by adding detail
3. to provide (a melody, part, etc) with ornaments See ornament

Derived Forms

• emˈbellishment, noun
• emˈbellisher, noun

Other Words From

• em·bellish·er noun
• nonem·bellished adjective
• nonem·bellish·ing adjective
• over·em·bellish verb (used with object)
• reem·bellish verb (used with object)
• unem·bellished adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of embellish¹

1300–50; Middle English embelisshen < Anglo-French, Middle French embeliss- (stem of embelir ), equivalent to em- em- ¹ + bel- (< Latin bellus pretty) + -iss- -ish ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of embellish¹

C14: from Old French embelir, from bel beautiful, from Latin bellus

Example Sentences

Chancellor Rachel Reeves's CV came under the spotlight at Prime Minister's Questions, following claims she had embellished some of her past achievements.

From BBC

It was specific to Minhaj and went to great lengths to show that he embellished aspects of his personal life in some of his jokes.

From Los Angeles Times

The 400 swings Betts claimed to take in the batting cage last week might have been somewhat embellished.

From Los Angeles Times

His long criminal record was never in dispute, but it’s easy to suspect he embellished some of his outlaw exploits.

From Los Angeles Times

One day, Almodóvar discovered that his mother was embellishing, even fabricating, what was in them.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adorn
• bedeck
• dress up
• embroider
• exaggerate
• festoon
• gild
• overstate
• spiff up