ornate

adjective

ȯr-ˈnāt How to pronounce ornate (audio)
Definition of ornatenext
1
as in baroque
elaborately and often excessively decorated an ornate gambling casino that is designed to look like an Italian palace

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rhetorical
full of fine words and fancy expressions the ornate prose that was standard in all diplomatic correspondence in those days

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ornate By 1988, when Phantom debuted on Broadway, the Reagan-era consumer culture and flashy opulence were on their way out, so the ornate, maximalist sets and the lush orchestrations felt off-key to reviewers. — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 20 Aug. 2026 The dining room, meanwhile, is distinguished by an ornate coffered ceiling. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026 The space came with a sunken bath tub, ornate ceilings and its own pool. — Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Only one physical copy was made, housed in an ornate silver case, with contractual restrictions preventing commercial release for 88 years. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ornate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ornate
  1. baroque
  2. rhetorical
  3. decorated
  4. purple
  5. extravagant
  6. florid
  7. gilded
  8. flowery
Adjective
  • Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara features open-heart motifs set with diamonds and 19 baroque pearls beneath.
    — Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026
  • There’s just something so deeply magnetic about baroque pearls, which are known for their irregular, non-spherical shape.
    — Selene Oliva, Glamour, 13 July 2026
Definition of baroque
Adjective
  • Tehran's Answer Is A Courtroom Iran's response so far has been legal and rhetorical, which is itself information.
    — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Evaluate how different rhetorical moves support speakers’ arguments and how they are received by the audience.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of rhetorical
Adjective
  • There are several good options here, but Perkins was a decorated player his first two years at LSU before an ACL tear altered his path.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 29 July 2026
  • Australian authorities have arrested and charged the country's most decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, 47, with five war crime murders allegedly committed during the war in Afghanistan.
    — Elaine Mallon, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of decorated
Adjective
  • Lavender Lavender is a popular garden perennial for its pleasantly calming fragrance and profuse purple blooms.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix have teams, but those states aren’t reliably red, more purple.
    — Patricia Babcock McGraw OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of purple
Adjective
  • As the Times report noted, the Met Gala, an extravagant event held in tandem with the Costume Institute’s spring show, is typically held on the first Monday in May.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But there was a twist, gaining access to the yacht’s extravagant amenities wouldn’t be so simple.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of extravagant
Adjective
  • Mariachi, tequila, and the florid masculinity of charrería, Mexico's national equestrian sport, all originated in Jalisco, the state for which Guadalajara serves as capital.
    — Michael Snyder, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Aug. 2026
  • His most acute scorn was reserved for my then-colleague, Alan Abelson, the longtime lead columnist and former Barron’s editor known for his florid, literate and persistent bearishness.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of florid
Adjective
  • The bathroom brings that rich blue into focus with its gilded vanity and various textures.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The movie trots along like an obliging corgi pup; TV director Gregor and DP Zac Nicholson give it a gilded mark of quality.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of gilded
Adjective
  • Her flowery dress was the brightest thing in our corner of the car.
    — Ledio Cakaj, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
  • He is never lost for words, his answers fluent, flowery and free of ums or ers.
    — Andy McGrath, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of flowery

Browse Nearby Words

ornaments
ornate
ornately
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ornate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ornate. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All