embellish
Americanverb (used with object)
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embellishes,
present (3rd person singular)
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embellished,
past participle, past
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embellishing
present participle
verb
-
to improve or beautify by adding detail or ornament; adorn
-
to make (a story) more interesting by adding detail
-
to provide (a melody, part, etc) with ornaments See ornament
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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embellishernoun
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embellishmentnoun
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overembellishverb (used with object)
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reembellishverb (used with object)
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nonembellishedadjective
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nonembellishingadjective
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unembellishedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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embellishsimple
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embellishessimple
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have embellishedperfect
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has embellishedperfect
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am embellishingprogressive
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are embellishingprogressive
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is embellishingprogressive
-
have been embellishingperfect progressive
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has been embellishingperfect progressive
Past
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embellishedsimple
-
had embellishedperfect
-
was embellishingprogressive
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were embellishingprogressive
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had been embellishingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of embellish
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
Explanation
The word "bell" shows up in the middle of embellish, and bells are something that decorate, or embellish something, making it more attractive. If you embellish speech, though, it can get ugly if you add a lot of details that aren't true. Embellish often has the positive meaning of adding something to make it more handsome or beautifully decorated. But, while adding bells to something looks great at first, after a couple of hours of bells ringing in the ears, what was meant to embellish and beautify can get annoying. That's what can happen when you embellish by adding too many false or exaggerated details to a story. Embellishing with true, colorful details and vivid descriptions is what can really enhance the beauty of a story.
Vocabulary lists containing embellish
List 5
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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:
Dalziel said: "She was a straightforward and calm witness. She did not exaggerate or embellish."
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
All book adaptations, whether from novels or memoirs, could stand to embellish the facts here and there, or go ahead and reinvent the wheel when possible.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
There’s a vocabulary and a shorthand in how characters are depicted in TV series, especially in crime thrillers where the police-procedural aspects are supposed to embellish the characterizations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
The 48-year-old American has long been a controversial figure, often criticized for an overly defensive style, and accused by some of dodging the most dangerous opponents simply to embellish his record.
From Barron's ● Feb. 23, 2026
When the insertions arrived in Florence, the covering letter from Riccardi included the sentence, ‘the author may alter or embellish the wording, so long as the substance is preserved’.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
In various chat logs the BBC has seen, the chatbot suggests, affirms and embellishes these ideas.
From BBC ● May 2, 2026
Though the novel is steeped in research, the island kingdom it portrays predates written records, so Mr. Johnson freely embellishes his intense tale with magic and mythology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 3, 2025
The kitchen embellishes the confection with jewel-like raspberries and a chewy granola bar that’s not much more than oats and maple syrup and plenty good on its own.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 7, 2022
Hey, it’s television — a medium that regularly exaggerates and embellishes for the public’s entertainment.
From Seattle Times ● May 15, 2022
To ensure that no one embellishes or sensationalizes their stories, I’m going to ask them to sign an honor code.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
Many of those descriptions came from publications like the Newgate Calendar, which carried sensationalist stories about crime that were often heavily embellished.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Although Wills has said the finished film remains faithful to her original short story, the intimate relationship between the fisherwoman and her wicker husband has been embellished to "liven it up".
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
She favored figure-hugging dresses, tops and sets, many of which were covered in sequins or embellished with rhinestones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
You’d anticipate moments like that to be embellished with improv, but it’s all tightly scripted.“Of all the TV comedies I’ve worked on, this one has the most already on the page,” says DeYoung.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Centuries of carvers had embellished every stone surface with patterns and creatures and seraphim.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
The scandal erupted last month after some academics and media reports accused Arday of plagiarising parts of his doctoral thesis and embellishing his life achievements.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
He became embarrassed after he was caught fabricating or embellishing stories about playing college baseball, responding to protest scenes and an award he won in the police academy, according to the motion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
The governor has faced allegations of embellishing his military record.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
He said he was "embellishing the account of an actual stop and search and he was doing so for comedic effect".
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2025
When Miles explained things that happened at school, embellishing small facts and details, I’d jump in and correct him.
From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
