Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

embellishment

American  
[em-bel-ish-muhnt] / ɛmˈbɛl ɪʃ mənt /

noun

  1. an ornament or decoration.

  2. a fictitious addition, as to a factual statement.

  3. Music.

    1. ornament.

    2. auxiliary tone.

  4. the act of embellishing.

  5. state of being embellished.

Other Word Forms

  • nonembellishment noun
  • overembellishment noun

Etymology

Origin of embellishment

First recorded in 1615–25; embellish + -ment

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.

Abdullah recounts what he saw plainly, without embellishment.

From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025

This is war writing at its best, brutally and straightforwardly told because the events and deeds Sledge recounts require no embellishment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

Titled “Mary Magdalene,” it mixes fact and fiction, as in general seems to be Davis’ wont as a natural-born storyteller, always refining her tale through fabulation and embellishment.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

To some, they conjure ideas of haute cuisine fuss — dainty smears, baby food textures, or unnecessary embellishment.

From Salon • May 16, 2025

I could say the night felt magical, but that would be embellishment.

From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour

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.