To add something that makes a person, place, or object more beautiful.
Reach for it when describing decoration that enhances rather than changes the underlying form
Hand-painted tiles adorn the entrance to the neighborhood library.
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
|
playful
Fits when garlands or abundant hanging decorations create a lively scene
Careful Festoon suggests profusion and can make restrained design sound gaudy.
everyday
Fits when improvement in appearance is the explicit goal
Careful Beautify judges the result but does not identify the decorative act.
everyday
Fits when the act of adding ornament should sound plain
Careful Decorate can include temporary festive clutter that does not truly enhance.
professional
Fits when a border or finishing detail is being attached
Careful Trim is too specific for paintings, jewelry, or planted decoration.
formal
embellish
Fits when ornamental detail is added beyond the basic design
Careful Embellish can imply exaggerating a story as well as decorating an object.
literary
Fits when the presence itself lends elegance or distinction
Careful Grace personifies the decoration and sounds conspicuous in technical prose.
adorn the walls
Local photographs adorn the walls of the new clinic.
adorned with flowers
The stage was adorned with flowers grown by the students.
adorn the entrance
Mosaic birds adorn the entrance to the riverside path.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated
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