embellish

There’s a vocabulary and a shorthand in how characters are depicted in TV series, especially in crime thrillers where the police-procedural aspects are supposed to embellish the characterizations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

He was often criticized for an overly defensive style, and accused by some of dodging the most dangerous opponents simply to embellish his record.

From Barron's ● Feb. 21, 2026

Along with the 13 who told the BBC they were pressured to embellish their evidence or lie, that means the evidence of 15 key prosecution witnesses has now been discredited or undermined.

From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2026

Four photos from a courtroom appearance she made in August embellish that variant.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2025

As the weeks went on, the men began to embellish the dogloos into architectural fantasies, adding church spires, minarets, porches, and domes.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

Though the novel is steeped in research, the island kingdom it portrays predates written records, so Mr. Johnson freely embellishes his intense tale with magic and mythology.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 3, 2025

Daphne admits she often lies, or, rather, embellishes her life “for the social good” — she says what others want to hear.

From New York Times ● May 15, 2023

The kitchen embellishes the confection with jewel-like raspberries and a chewy granola bar that’s not much more than oats and maple syrup and plenty good on its own.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 7, 2022

Hey, it’s television — a medium that regularly exaggerates and embellishes for the public’s entertainment.

From Seattle Times ● May 15, 2022

Medieval painting, for instance, is to a large extent “applied,” in the sense that it embellishes surfaces which serve other, practical purposes as well—walls, book pages, windows, furniture.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

When she was alive, Wilder herself admitted that her novels were extensively embellished, mainly by her daughter Rose Wilder Lane.

From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026

Drummers embellished the rhythm of partygoers chanting “Knicks in 5.”

From Salon ● Jun. 17, 2026

The more expensive bag - a size 25, was embellished with rhinestones on the clasp and trim - went for nearly seven times the starting bid.

From BBC ● May 21, 2026

Recent decisions, including deals to sell apparel embellished with Mickey Mouse or NFL logos, have raised eyebrows.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025

One other noteworthy event occurred while Galileo was a medical student in Pisa, although the story has been considerably distorted and embellished down the centuries.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Had the striker gone down, embellishing the level of contact, a VAR review feels like it would have been a certainty.

From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026

The governor has faced allegations of embellishing his military record.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

Padilla spoke up to say that Noem was "exaggerating and embellishing" before being confronted by security.

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2025

Scarves, a recurring favorite of Chiuri’s, were ubiquitous for fall, and were in the program notes heralded as “protective, enveloping, and embellishing as required” for a free and worldly woman.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 27, 2024

When Miles explained things that happened at school, embellishing small facts and details, I’d jump in and correct him.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia