Definitions

ornate

[awr-neyt] / ɔrˈneɪt /

ADJECTIVE

fancily decorated

Synonyms

STRONGEST

baroque beautiful elegant embroidered fancy gaudy gilded glamorous lavish magnificent opulent rococo sparkling sumptuous

WEAK

adorned aureate bedecked bright brilliant busy colored convoluted dazzling elaborate fine flamboyant flashy flaunting florid flowery fussy glitzy glossy high-wrought jeweled luscious meretricious ornamented ostentatious overdone overelaborate pretentious resplendent rich showy splashy superficial tawdry variegated

Antonyms

STRONGEST

dull offensive plain poor ugly unsophisticated

WEAK

simple

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The paper had yellowed from age and the cursive was so ornate the words were hard to make out.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

A maximalist to the end, he likes things ornate.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

The ornate exterior, with its tapering towers and multiple facades, has an almost organic quality.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

Trainers clad in ornate uniforms and traditional white fur headgear led golden-bedecked stallions round a stage arena at an annual horse beauty pageant in the ultra-closed Central Asian state of Turkmenistan.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act on August 6 in the ornate President’s Room of the Capitol as Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and other civil rights leaders looked on.

From "Because They Marched" by Russell Freedman

Vocabulary lists containing ornate

The Vocabulary.com Top 1000

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

List 8

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The Devil's Arithmetic

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!