^^  EMBELLISH  ^^

                                                     VERB

1. to make beautiful with ornamentation : decorate

2. to heighten the attractiveness of by adding decorative or fanciful details : enhance

3. to add ornamental or fictitious details to:

4. to make (a story) more interesting by adding detail

Tips: 

Embellish comes from the old French word embellir or "to make beautiful." Embelish is

related to the word beauty in English.

Embellish can be used to describe making something more beautiful or interesting.

Embellished is often used in the context of embellished stories, or accounts of exaggerated deeds. The idea of embellish is to try to make something more beautiful or impressive than it really is.

If you embellish a story, you add to it in order to make it more interesting.

Usage Examples:

1.  My brother has a tendency to embellish his stories a bit, so take what he says with a grain  of salt. (exaggerate)

2.  The dance hall was embellished with flowers, garlands, and many fine details. (decorated, adorned) adjective

3.  If you embellish your resume, you may find yourself in a quandary when your new employers have expectations you cannot meet. (enhance, exaggerate)

4.  He likes to embellish his accomplishments and make himself sound more successful than he really is. (exaggerate)

5.  They do not wear a naval type uniform but instead wear a sweatshirt and baseball cap

embellished with the sea cadet corps badge.

6.  Embellished with gorgeous floral embroidery for an extra special touch.

7.  Embellish the story of a dramatic cure.

8.  Embellished account.

9. They are painted or dyed and then embellished with stitching to produce wall hangings, framed pictures and scarves.

10. Embellishes the truth in order to sustain his fantasy.

Origin of EMBELLISH

Middle English, from Anglo-French embeliss-, stem of embelir, from en- + bel beautiful — more at beauty

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to EMBELLISH

Synonyms: color, elaborate (on), embroider, exaggerate, hyperbolize, magnify, pad, stretch

Antonyms: blemish, deface, disfigure, mar, scar, spoil