decorated

IPA/ˈdek.ə.reɪt/
KK[dˈɛkɚˌetɪd]IPA/ˈdek.ər.eɪt/

decorated — verb

  • decoratedpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • decorateds3rd person singular
  • decorateding-ing form
  • decoratededpast simple

1. to add attractive things to an object, room, or area so that it looks more beaut

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to add attractive things to an object, room, or area so that it looks more beautiful or special — for example, hanging lights on a Christmas tree or putting flowers on a table.

Example

For New Year, Haruto decorated the living room with red lanterns and gold ribbons.

decorate + object + with [materials]

Every December, the bakery window is decorated with tiny gingerbread houses and sparkling lights.

passive: be decorated with

Common collocations
  • decorate with ribbons
  • decorate a room
  • decorate a cake
  • decorate a tree
Synonyms
  • adorn

    more formal and poetic; suggests beauty or elegance rather than general ornamentation

  • trim

    often used for Christmas trees or the edges of clothing; more specific and hands-on

  • garnish

    almost always used for food and drink, not rooms or objects

Antonyms
  • strip

    to remove decoration or covering from something

Grammar Patterns

decorate + object + with + thing

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive voice (be decorated with) when describing the finished appearance rather than the action.

Common Mistakes

She decorated the cake by writing on it.
She decorated the cake with icing flowers.
'decorate with [material]' is the standard pattern; 'decorate by [method]' is less natural and often sounds awkward.
They decorated the room beautiful.
They decorated the room beautifully.
use an adverb, not an adjective, after the verb when describing how something is decorated.

2. to put paint or wallpaper on the walls of a room or house in order to make it lo

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

to put paint or wallpaper on the walls of a room or house in order to make it look clean or fresh.

Example

Léa and her brother decided to decorate their bedroom together last weekend.

intransitive use: to decorate [a room]

Before moving in, Gabriel and Sari need to decorate the whole apartment.

Common collocations
  • decorate a bedroom
  • decorate a house
  • decorate with paint
  • decorate with wallpaper
Synonyms
  • paint

    more specific — refers only to applying paint, not wallpaper

  • redo

    informal and broader; can include painting, wallpapering, and replacing furniture

Grammar Patterns

decorate + room or building

Usage Note

This sense is common in British English where 'decorating' often specifically refers to painting and wallpapering a home. In American English, 'paint' or 'remodel' is more common for this specific activity.

Common Mistakes

We need to decoration the living room.
We need to decorate the living room.
'decoration' is a noun, not a verb; use 'decorate' as the verb form.

3. to give someone an official medal or formal honor as a reward for brave actions,

3.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to give someone an official medal or formal honor as a reward for brave actions, excellent service, or outstanding achievements.

Example

The general decorated the young officer for his bravery during the rescue mission.

decorate + person + for + reason

Captain Amira was decorated for leading her crew through a dangerous storm at sea.

passive: be decorated for [action]

Common collocations
  • decorated for bravery
  • decorated for service
  • decorated with a medal
  • decorated posthumously
Synonyms
  • honor

    broader — can be non-military and non-medal recognition

  • award

    more general; used for prizes and scholarships as well as medals

  • cite

    narrower — means to publicly mention someone's actions, not necessarily give a medal

Antonyms
  • dishonor

    to treat someone without respect, the opposite of bestowing honor

Grammar Patterns

be decorated for + achievement or action

Usage Note

Almost always transitive. The passive is very common because the focus is usually on the person receiving the honor rather than the one giving it.

Common Mistakes

The soldier was decorated with a bravery.
The soldier was decorated for bravery.
use 'for' followed by the quality or action, not 'with' followed by the quality.
They decorated him a medal.
They decorated him with a medal.' or 'They gave him a medal.
'decorate' takes 'with' for the medal itself.

decorated — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five verbs involve adding something to make an object or space more attractive, but they differ in context and formality. Decorate is the everyday, all-purpose word — you decorate a room, a cake, or a Christmas tree. Adorn is more formal and poetic, often suggesting grace or beauty; a bride might adorn her hair with flowers, but you would not normally adorn a living room. Embellish can mean adding real decoration, but it is also used metaphorically for exaggerating a story — 'he embellished the details to make it sound more exciting.' Garnish is almost entirely limited to food and drink: you garnish a plate with parsley or a cocktail with a slice of lime. Ornament (as a verb) is more technical and often describes architecture or design — 'the façade is ornamented with carved stone figures.' Deck is informal and suggests festive or temporary decoration, like decking the halls for a party. Choosing the right word depends on the object (food vs. a house), the occasion (everyday vs. celebratory), and the register (casual vs. formal). For example: 'She decorated the room with balloons' (neutral), but 'She adorned the altar with fresh lilies' (ceremonial).

adorn ↗embellish ↗garnish ↗ornament ↗deck ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • decorated for bravery
  • decorated with flowers
  • decorated in gold
  • highly decorated
  • most decorated

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word decorated comes from the Latin decoratus, the past participle of decorare, meaning 'to adorn, beautify, or honor.' The Latin root decus means 'ornament, honor, or grace.' The word entered English through Old French decorer in the 1400s, and the past participle decorated gradually developed its own use as an adjective describing people who have received honors (first recorded in the 1700s) and objects that are ornamented (in use since the 1500s). The military sense of being awarded a medal became common during the 1800s.

First known use

1727

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 2