adorn
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
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to decorate
she adorned her hair with flowers
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to increase the beauty, distinction, etc, of
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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adornernoun
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adornmentnoun
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nonadornernoun
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overadornverb (used with object)
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preadornverb (used with object)
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readornverb (used with object)
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superadornverb (used with object)
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nonadorningadjective
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readorningadjective
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self-adorningadjective
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adorninglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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adornsimple
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adornssimple
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have adornedperfect
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has adornedperfect
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am adorningprogressive
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are adorningprogressive
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is adorningprogressive
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have been adorningperfect progressive
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has been adorningperfect progressive
Past
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adornedsimple
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had adornedperfect
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was adorningprogressive
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were adorningprogressive
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had been adorningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of adorn
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English adornen, from Latin adōrnāre, equivalent to ad- ad- + ōrnāre “to dress” ( see ornate); replacing late Middle English aourne, from Middle French, from Latin
Explanation
To adorn is to dress something up by decorating it. You might adorn your poncho with fringe or your poodle's dog collar with rhinestones. Adorn shares some Latin roots with words like ornament and ornate. So it makes sense that some people adorn their Christmas trees with tinsel and lights. Others adorn their eyelids with glitter. In any case, if you want to adorn yourself with all kinds of fabulous baubles, it might be wise to follow Coco Chanel's advice: take at least one accessory off before you walk out the door.
Vocabulary lists containing adorn
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
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"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In the yard, multicolored concrete sculptures adorn nearly every nook and cranny.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
But every other Mercedes-Benz marque has been wiped, along with the logos of non-FIFA-sponsor Kimberly-Clark that adorn soap dispensers in its bathrooms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
In Boston, a team of workers stuck pieces of tape over the Gillette logos that usually adorn some of the 64,000-plus seats in the venue where the New England Patriots play.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
Despite the current trend, Tajik mosaic artist Dzhuraev wants to believe that "the time will come" when mosaics will once again adorn buildings.
From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026
Fat, sequined pillows adorn the once-hard benches, and colorful throw rugs warm the white tiles.
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
It adorns an elaborate “Altar of Sin,” surrounded by classical statuary and shells.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
It was Brown, a Rhode Island blue blood whose name now adorns an Ivy League university, who in 1790 financed Slater’s stolen ideas for a state-of-the-art cotton mill.
From Barron's ● Jan. 28, 2026
Its red bull’s-eye symbol adorns Target Field, the Target Center arena and the downtown Target Plaza complex that houses the retailer’s headquarters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 13, 2026
Anything that adorns us daily begins, eventually, to define us.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2025
Simple makeup adorns her face, and her hair is flawless in its high ponytail.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
The Daily Telegraph features a photograph of Spain's team adorned in medals and holding the World Cup aloft, alongside a story that highlights the incoming prime minister's plan for a "new era of big state".
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Tied to the mast of his ship as he and his crew pass the singing sirens, adorned on the jagged rocks at sea, Odysseus screams out with pain and desire.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
Some of the most significant changes can be found in the hotel lobby, which features a curated convenience store called the Goodie Shop, which is adorned with throwback boomboxes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
“The estate is adorned with thousands of hand-selected vintage Chicago bricks and a mix of reclaimed materials that define its unmistakable character,” a previous listing description revealed.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
Rucio, the donkey, walked behind, adorned with ribbons and bows.
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
There are no betting odds adorning the scrolling scoreboard.
From Slate ● Jun. 10, 2026
An attempt to impress the Chairwoman by adorning a space at the club in colonial chic backfires.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2026
"Unbelievable statues, come and look at them," said the 79-year-old Republican as he admired two new figures adorning the Rose Garden.
From Barron's ● Mar. 2, 2026
Nestled in the back corner behind a black curtain sat the woman herself, visibly pregnant, in brown snakeskin heels, denim shorts, and adorning various gold statement pieces.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2025
Frankie nodded toward the skull-lamps adorning the walls.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
