Definition of decknext
as in balcony
a flat roofless structure attached to a building the family usually ate on the deck on summer evenings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

deck

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word deck different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of deck are adorn, beautify, decorate, embellish, garnish, and ornament. While all these words mean "to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential," deck implies the addition of something that contributes to gaiety, splendor, or showiness.

a house all decked out for Christmas

When can adorn be used instead of deck?

In some situations, the words adorn and deck are roughly equivalent. However, adorn implies an enhancing by something beautiful in itself.

a diamond necklace adorned her neck

How are the words beautify and embellish related as synonyms of deck?

Beautify adds to embellish a suggestion of counterbalancing plainness or ugliness.

will beautify the grounds with flower beds

When could decorate be used to replace deck?

The meanings of decorate and deck largely overlap; however, decorate suggests relieving plainness or monotony by adding beauty of color or design.

decorate a birthday cake

When is embellish a more appropriate choice than deck?

The synonyms embellish and deck are sometimes interchangeable, but embellish often stresses the adding of superfluous or adventitious ornament.

embellish a page with floral borders

Where would garnish be a reasonable alternative to deck?

While the synonyms garnish and deck are close in meaning, garnish suggests decorating with a small final touch and is used especially in referring to the serving of food.

an entrée garnished with parsley

How do ornament and embellish relate to one another, in the sense of deck?

Both ornament and embellish imply the adding of something extraneous, ornament stressing the heightening or setting off of the original.

a white house ornamented with green shutters

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 deck
Noun
Lotería, Mexican card game of chance, played using a deck of 54 cards with images. — Sanat Pai Raikar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026 What This Looks Like In Practice A traditional approach to rolling out change might begin with a slide deck that explains the change, the future-state structure and the timeline. — John Radman, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
But this time, Brinkley decked them out with fun, autumnal touches for the transitional season. — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 For Evie, film club is her weekly escape — a chance to create a world of wonder, deck her mum’s garage out in whatever the movie calls for, and spend a few uninterrupted hours with her best friend Noa. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deck
Noun
  • Crime, courts and policing An investigation is underway after a student died in a fall from a balcony at a Highland Park high school.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Carbone shouted out to the crowd from The Grill’s balcony in a Tom Ford tuxedo.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • You’re pointed to the hotel entrance by a series of discrete signs in gold lettering, where lifts take you to the beautiful 10th floor lobby decorated in cream and white and accented with simple, bold artworks, also in gold.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The Clarins brand developed travel retail sets with boxes decorated uniquely for the city the traveler is in, highlighting moments of discovery.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • From feeding hobos on the back porch in the night in the Great Depression to marching against wars for oil in the Eighties and Nineties.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
  • This had been the original barn on the Pierce property, raised back when the entirety of the Pierce farm could be seen from the porch.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The silhouette, which brought back the trend of years gone by, was equipped with a panel on the front adorned with floral motifs, pearls and vines, all in gold that, from afar, looked like sequins.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Murals of a variety of styles continue to adorn buildings, walls and parks in the Sacramento region, with varying degrees of issues and controversy and connections to art, history and community.
    — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • As the day winds down, get cozy in the living room for a game of cards and a glass of South African wine, or watch the sun set from the stone terrace.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The owner’s cabin, cleverly positioned at the bow, opens to a forward terrace with a Jacuzzi.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The skirt continued the black palette in a soft, satiny fabric with material draped at the hips for an exaggerated silhouette.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Tropical disturbance in the Gulf Coast Rain is expected to continue in central Florida, where a stalling frontal system is now draped.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • San Diego won 4-3 on Tuesday night to avoid elimination and trim Milwaukee’s lead in the best-of-five series to 2-1.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Rather than trimming that weight, Fukushima's lab asked whether anything needed to be worn at all.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deck. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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