Embellish
mediumNeutral toneem-BEL-ish
verb
Definition
to adorn, or to exaggerate with fictitious details
Memory hook
EMBELLISH contains 'BELL': imagine hanging shiny BELLs all over a plain story to make it fancier than the truth.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“He tends to embellish his stories until they barely resemble what happened.”
“Gilded frames embellish every portrait hanging in the long gallery.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“He tends to ______ his stories until they barely resemble what happened.”
Show answer
embellish
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Embellish is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "adorn" or "ornament" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "simplify".
Related GRE Words
admonish
To warn or reprimand someone firmly
allude
To suggest or call attention to indirectly; to hint at
allusion
An indirect reference, especially to something in literature or history
apprise
To inform or tell someone about something
articulate
Having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently
berate
To scold or criticize someone angrily and at length
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