Meaning & use
decorate
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To make a room, object, or event look more attractive by adding colors, ornaments, lights, or other finishing details.
Grammar: Takes a direct object: decorate the room; an objectless use usually needs context.
Patterns
- decorate something with something
- decorate something for someone/something
- decorate a room/house/cake
They decorated the hallway with paper lanterns for the party.
We decorated the cake with fresh berries and a light dusting of sugar.
The shop windows are decorated every winter with simple white lights.
verbtransitiveformalmilitary
To formally give someone a medal or public honor, especially for courage or military service.
Grammar: Most often passive: be decorated for bravery; active use is possible but less common.
Patterns
- be decorated for something
- be decorated with something
- decorate someone for something
She was decorated for bravery after the flood rescue.
The veteran was decorated with a medal for thirty years of service.
Several officers were decorated for their conduct during the mission.
Word forms
| third person singular | decorates |
|---|---|
| past tense | decorated |
| past participle | decorated |
| -ing form | decorating |
Common combinations
- decorate a room/house
- They plan to decorate the nursery before the baby arrives.
- decorate with lights/flowers
- The courtyard was decorated with candles and white flowers.
- decorate for a party/holiday
- We decorate for the holidays in early December.
- tastefully decorated
- The café is small but tastefully decorated.
- decorate a cake/cookies
- The children decorated cookies with icing and sprinkles.
Synonyms and how they differ
- adorn
- Similar to decorate, but more formal or literary and often used for people, clothes, or objects made beautiful.
- embellish
- Means add attractive details, but can also suggest extra details that are unnecessary or not fully true.
- ornament
- Means decorate with ornaments; it is less common in everyday conversation and sounds more formal.
Opposites
Word family
- decoration noun
- Something added to make a place or object look better, or the act of decorating.
- decorative adjective
- Intended to look attractive rather than to be useful.
- decoratively adverb
- In a way that adds beauty or ornament.
- decorator noun
- A person whose job is to paint rooms and choose finishes, or someone who decorates things.
- redecorate verb
- To decorate a room again, often with new paint or furnishings.
Commonly confused: decorate or design? decorate or adorn?
decorate vs design
Design means plan the style, shape, or function; decorate means add the finishing attractive details after the basic plan exists.
decorate vs adorn
Adorn is close in meaning but more formal; decorate is the everyday word for rooms, parties, and cakes.
Practice
The students decorated the classroom ___ colorful posters about oceans.
Choose one answer.
Use the pattern decorate something with something: the posters are the materials used for decoration. “For” would show purpose, “by” would suggest the agent or method, and “of” does not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “decorate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.