FRILLY Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

frilly

adjective

Definition of frilly

as in showy

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of frilly From feathery clutches to frilly brooches, fashion week guests are using the playful texture to give their looks an unexpected pop. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 10 Sep. 2026 The company does, though, sell a scarf called Tulipomanie, covered in frilly blooms of an exquisiteness that seems to rebut the charge of excess hype with a wink. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 Ava Max steps out in the New York City neighborhood of East Village on July 17, in a quirky look of an oversized hat an frilly shirt. — People Staff, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026 This frilly stripe and solid one-piece is almost too pretty to get wet. — Jessica Benavides Canepa, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2026 Interestingly, her bandmate Tzuyu’s frilly bloomers with garter-type ties did not fan flames on social media. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 29 June 2026 Plant species with contrasting textures, such as frilly ferns with the large, bold leaves of hosta. — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2026 The analog girl in a digital world took the stage on Sunday evening to close out the festival wearing what looked like a mushroom cap on her head, accented by a frilly, droopy outfit that looked like it was designed by psilocybin. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 1 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for frilly

Adjective

In late spring and summer, the showy flowers emit a light scent and attract all kinds of pollinators.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2026
The modern version is far more sumptuous than the hard-wearing trousers of our youth—an everyman’s velvet, rich but rarely showy.

— John Vorwald, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of showy

Adjective

There’s drama, but there’s also comedy, lighter moments, flamboyant characters and all the action that comes with it.

— Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Jean-Pierre took photos of celebrities arriving in flamboyant velvet suits, matching fur coats, towering hats, and golden platform shoes that screamed confidence and pride.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of flamboyant

Adjective

Even from the scant footage available in the trailer, Gerwig has taken a deliberately exuberant, psychedelic approach to the world of Narnia’s creation — and to the beauty of creation, generally.

— Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
And in the event that someone wasn’t aware of what Children of Blood and Bone was, the panel did its job, promising an exuberant, swaggering epic with a charming cast to inhabit it.

— Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of exuberant

Adjective

Like most of the country’s entries over the past decade, this blockbuster epic — a summer box office hit at home — makes for an extravagant display of the strength of the nation’s commercial film industry.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Noem was also under fire for extravagant spending at the department, while placing restrictions on FEMA disaster relief funds.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of extravagant

Adjective

Even in a nation known for ostentatious displays of baseball obsession, the ensuing theatrics went viral.

— Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
The structures, made of raw concrete, exuded an ostentatious form of modesty, emblematic of the town’s character.

— Afra Wang, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of ostentatious

Adjective

While there is a deep respect for heritage that runs through their properties, the connection isn’t overwrought or explicit.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2026
The letter was overearnest, overwrought, and self-serious in a way that only a person on the cusp of proper adulthood could produce.

— Robert P. Baird, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of overwrought

Adjective

Signs of this history were on display amid all the adventurous modern art that made Mandell’s home seem like an elegant, circus-like wonderland.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Her elegant primary bedroom boasted a dressing area that was the picture of ’40s-movie-star luxury, complete with plush rugs, dramatic arches, and, of course, plenty of mirrors.

— Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of elegant

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frills

frilly

fringe

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“Frilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frilly. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of frilly

adjective

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