decoration
Americannoun
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something used for decorating; adornment; embellishment.
The gymnasium was adorned with posters and crepe-paper decorations for the dance.
-
the act of decorating.
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a badge, medal, etc., conferred and worn as a mark of honor.
a decoration for bravery.
noun
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an addition that renders something more attractive or ornate; adornment
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the act, process, or art of decorating
-
a medal, badge, etc, conferred as a mark of honour
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of decoration
First recorded in 1575–85; from Late Latin decorātiōn- (stem of decorātiō ) “an ornament”; see decorate, -ion
Explanation
A decoration is anything used to make something more attractive or festive. If you’re having a Valentine’s Day party, drape your house in red and pink decorations. Decoration is also a type of honor, like a soldier's medal or stripe. To decorate is to spiff something up, making it more colorful and attractive, like hanging streamers in a room or ornaments on a tree. Decorations are things used in this way. Many decorations are specific to holidays, like green decorations for St. Patrick's Day. Also, decorations are the honors given to people who have won or achieved something. A war hero's Purple Heart medal is a decoration. You can say that someone who has many of these honors is decorated.
Vocabulary lists containing decoration
Memorial Day Words
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"Familiar Places"
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 12–February 18, 2022
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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:
The clause survives as decoration: incorporated, venerated, and incapable of stopping a single seizure.
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026
There were also no images of Macron kneeling before the king in official photographs published by Thailand's foreign ministry of the leaders at the decoration ceremony and state dinner, an AFP review found.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
“It’s a decoration, because your system has to now fight the sugar while it’s trying to digest it.”
From MarketWatch ● May 10, 2026
Rangers score more goals from the 90th minute and beyond than anybody else but some of those are just decoration.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026
City clothing only used seams and stitching for decoration, but David’s jacket seemed to be cut together from a dozen patches of leather, all different shades and shapes.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
Earlier on Monday, Bangkok governor Chatchart Sittipunt said the flammable interior decorations on the bar's ceiling may have facilitated the blaze's rapid spread.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Residents sometimes rented a car out for birthday parties, laying out food and hanging decorations, with guests all boarding at different stops along the route.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Since taking office, Trump has also paved over the Rose Garden lawn at the White House and plastered the Oval Office with gold decorations.
From Barron's ● May 11, 2026
“We used theirs and then I passed them off to another mom. These ‘KPop’ decorations for the birthday party got recycled at least two or three times.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026
The halls hold decorations for the upcoming Declaration of Heirs Ceremony.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
