frilly

IPA/ˈfrɪli/
KK[frˈɪli]IPA/ˈfrɪli/

frilly — adjective

  • frillypositive
  • frilliercomparative
  • frilliestsuperlative

1. decorated with many ruffles, lace, or other ornamental trims sewn onto the surfa

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

decorated with many ruffles, lace, or other ornamental trims sewn onto the surface, making something look fancy or richly decorated.

Example

The little girl wore a frilly pink dress to her cousin's birthday party.

collocation: frilly + clothing item (dress / blouse / skirt)

Aunt Rosa hung frilly white curtains in every window of the old farmhouse.

collocation: frilly + home decor (curtains / tablecloth)

Common collocations
  • frilly dress
  • frilly blouse
  • frilly curtains
  • frilly tablecloth
  • frilly skirt
  • frilly nightgown
Synonyms
  • ruffled

    specifically refers to gathered strips of fabric, a sub-type of frilly decoration

  • lacy

    made of or resembling delicate openwork fabric; more delicate and airy than frilly

  • ornate

    elaborately decorated; a more formal word that can describe architecture or objects, not just fabric

  • fussy

    overly decorated in a way that seems excessive; carries a stronger negative tone

Antonyms
  • plain

    without any decoration or pattern

  • simple

    not elaborate or showy

Grammar Patterns

frilly + noun (dress, curtain, blouse)

Usage Note

Common in fashion and home-decor contexts. Can carry a mildly negative connotation of being overly ornate or fussy, especially in British English.

Common Mistakes

She wore a frilly necklace.
She wore a frilly blouse.
'frilly' describes fabric with sewn-on ruffles or lace, not standalone accessories like jewelry.
The frilly seemed old-fashioned.
The frilly dress seemed old-fashioned.
'frilly' is an adjective; it must modify a noun, not be used as a noun itself.

Word family

  • frill
    nounB1
  • frilled
    adjectiveB2
  • frilliness
    nounC1
  • unfrilly
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe decoration, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Ruffled' is the narrowest — it only refers to gathered strips of fabric, while 'frilly' can include lace or any sewn-on trim. 'Lacy' suggests delicate openwork patterns rather than gathered fabric; a blouse can be both lacy and frilly, but lace curtains are not frilly. 'Ornate' is much broader — it covers carved furniture, painted ceilings, and jewellery, whereas 'frilly' is limited to fabric and clothing. 'Fussy' is the most negative: calling a dress 'fussy' means it has too much decoration, while 'frilly' can be neutral or even charming. For everyday use, 'frilly' is warm and descriptive; 'fussy' is a criticism.

ruffled ↗lacy ↗ornate ↗fussy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • frilly and fancy
  • simple rather than frilly

Etymology

uncertain originEnglish

The adjective 'frilly' comes from the noun 'frill', which first appeared in English around 1590 to describe a decorative strip of fabric at the edge of a garment. The origin of 'frill' is uncertain — it may be related to a Scandinavian word for a fold or ruffle. By the 1800s, 'frilly' was used to describe anything covered in frills, and later took on a figurative meaning of 'excessively decorative'.