Meaning & use
decorative
Last updated
Serving to make something look more attractive, rather than serving a practical purpose.
See it in a sentence
The shelf was lined with decorative vases that were never meant to hold flowers.
The building's decorative columns added elegance but weren't structurally necessary.
A note on using this word
Often contrasted with 'functional' to distinguish objects meant purely for appearance from those meant for use.
Words with a similar meaning
ornamentalembellishing
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
functional
Make it your own
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