gussy

American  

[guhs-ee] / ˈgʌs i /

verb (used with object)

gussied, gussying

1. to enhance the attractiveness of in a gimmicky, showy manner (usually followed byup ).

   a room gussied up with mirrors and lights.

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verb (used without object)

gussied, gussying

1. to dress in one's best clothes (usually followed byup ).

   to gussy up for the ball.

Etymology

Origin of gussy

First recorded in 1935–40; of obscure origin

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gussy gussied gussying

And so it was a delightful week of watching the Interior Department scramble to gussy it up again.

From Slate ● Jun. 19, 2026

I tend to like to gussy it up a bit.

From Salon ● Feb. 26, 2024

Dolly Parton is starting an apparel brand for dogs that will let pet owners gussy up their pups just like the legendary country music singer.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 1, 2022

He and Ms. Jacobs got to chatting, and he told her that he wanted to gussy up his place, too, and grow wisteria.

From New York Times ● Dec. 3, 2021

“Let’s try it! We’ll just take Miss St. James’s hairbrush and a perfume bottle or two—something to gussy up Theo’s room and make it look as though a young lady lives there.”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

The performance space is a rehearsal studio that hasn’t been gussied up much, and the performers make full use of it.

From New York Times ● Jan. 14, 2024

On the bar food, staples of vermicelli noodles and sandwiches get gussied up with marbled beef and other high end meats.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 17, 2023

I also gussied it up a bit more by topping it with fresh avocado slices, cilantro leaves, pico de gallo and crunchy corn chips.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 21, 2023

I especially love it with breadcrumbs, roasted root vegetables, as a topper for soups or gussied up with fresh herbs, garlic and cream before being doused over a cheese-laden roasted chicken breast.

From Salon ● Nov. 29, 2022

I was already picturing Nan’s brace gussied up, though she wasn’t one for sequins—maybe silver studs.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry

I feel as though I’ve spent much of my summer taking shots at “Obsession” gussying up its thin characterizations to fool people into thinking it’s anything more than your standard horror sludge.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026

There are cubicles, roller chairs, a water cooler and flat lighting that the director, Luke Lorentzen, would never dishonor by gussying up with a lamp.

From New York Times ● Nov. 9, 2023

Lee sometimes gives the impression of a virtuoso guitarist, needlessly gussying up his act with double-necked axes and pyrotechnics.

From The Verge ● Oct. 8, 2019

Not as long as Grammy and Oscar broadcast producers remain committed to gussying up awards-show performances with unearned profundity by throwing in choirs-for-hire.

From Slate ● Jun. 6, 2019

Those handling his work have chosen to honor that quality, without gussying it up to make him a cartoon.

From The New Yorker ● Nov. 11, 2018

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