Phrase guide

dress up

verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To put on special or fancy clothes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • Everyone dressed up for the graduation ball.
  • I want a job where I don't have to dress up.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gussy up

Antonyms: dress down

2

verb

Meaning 2

To put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular type of character or well-known person.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, often

Examples

  • We're having a party on Saturday, but you must dress up as a famous historical figure.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To put a costume on (someone) portraying them as a particular type of character or well-known person.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: often, transitive

Examples

  • The cat hated when they dressed him up for Halloween.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To decorate; to prettify.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To present in a favorable light.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • You can dress up that proposal however you want; it's still going to go over like a lead balloon.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: spin

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She never dresses up, even when she goes to the opera
  • The young girls were all fancied up for the party

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: overdress, fig out, fig up, deck up, gussy up, fancy up, trick up, deck out, trick out, prink, attire, get up, rig out, tog up, tog out

Antonyms: dress down

Broader terms: dress, get dressed

Narrower terms: preen, primp, plume, dress, prank, tart up, enrobe, bedizen, dizen

7

verb

Meaning 7

dress in a certain manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She dresses in the latest Paris fashion
  • he dressed up in a suit and tie

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dress

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dress, get dressed

Narrower terms: vest

8

verb

Meaning 8

dress in a costume

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We dressed up for Halloween as pumpkins

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: costume

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dress, clothe, enclothe, garb, raiment, tog, garment, habilitate, fit out, apparel

9

verb

Meaning 9

make something appear superficially attractive

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The researcher tried to dress up the uninteresting data
  • Don't try to dress up the unpleasant truth

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: window-dress

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fancify, beautify, embellish, prettify

10

verb

Meaning 10

put a caparison on

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • caparison the horses for the festive occasion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: caparison, bard, barde

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decorate, adorn, grace, ornament, embellish, beautify

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

34 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: bəzəmək — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Finnish: pukeutua — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Finnish: pukeutua (siististi, hienosti, tyylikkäästi) — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Finnish: laittautua — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • German: sich herausputzen — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • German: sich aufbrezeln — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • German: sich schick anziehen — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Japanese: 着飾る (kìkázárù) — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Polish: stroić się — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Polish: wystrajać się — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Polish: wystroić się — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Russian: наряжаться (narjažatʹsja) — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Spanish: vestirse de gala — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Spanish: ponerse elegante — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Spanish: engalanarse — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Spanish: emperifollarse — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Spanish: vestirse bonito — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Spanish: ataviarse — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Swedish: klä upp sig — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Yiddish: זיך אויספּוצן (zikh oysputsn) — to put on special or fancy clothes
  • Dutch: verkleden — to put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular character or figure
  • Finnish: pukeutua — to put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular character or figure
  • German: sich verkleiden — to put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular character or figure
  • Norwegian Bokmål: kle seg ut — to put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular character or figure
  • Polish: przebierać się — to put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular character or figure
  • Polish: przebrać się — to put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular character or figure
  • Russian: наряжаться (narjažatʹsja) — to put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular character or figure
  • Spanish: disfrazarse — to put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular character or figure
  • Spanish: disfrezarse — to put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular character or figure
  • Swedish: klä ut sig — to put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular character or figure
  • German: aufputzen — to present in a better light
  • Polish: ubierać — to present in a better light
  • Polish: ubrać — to present in a better light
  • Swedish: skönmåla — to present in a better light