deck 1 of 2

noun

ˈdek How to pronounce deck (audio)
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

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deck

2 of 2

verb

as in to decorate
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming deck the halls with boughs of holly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
New patio chairs are covered with plush cushions, but the wooden deck railing still has a soulful saltwater patina. — Katie Nanton, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026 Now, it’s located near the vessel’s stern deck to reduce the distance water samples travel once extracted from the sea. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
Its vessels would be sexy and sleek, cabins outfitted with red hammocks and decks child-free. — Jp Brammer, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026 The costuming, which decks its cast in traditional Polynesian attire, nails the transition between media, but the real humans of the film clash against the cartoonish designs of Hei Hei or the giant crab Tamatoa (Jemaine Clement). — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for deck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deck
  1. balcony
  2. decorate
  3. porch
  4. adorn
  5. terrace
  6. drape
  7. trim
Noun
  • Some rooms at the Kimpton Mirador Pacific Grove feature views of Monterey Bay; others have balconies and fireplaces.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Staterooms are boutique-hotel luxurious, featuring king beds and private balconies for sunrise coffees.
    — Stephanie Orma, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of balcony
Verb
  • Rupnik had been one of the most celebrated contemporary religious artists in the Catholic Church, designing stylized mosaics that decorate churches and basilicas around the world, including at Lourdes and the Vatican.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
  • Behind the two men is an antique-style table with dragons decorating the legs, upon which sit two porcelain bird statues and a small pot filled with purple and white flowers.
    — Ben Jureidini, Vanity Fair, 21 July 2026
Definition of decorate
Noun
  • On a muggy night when the teams combined for 10 homers and 18 of the 20 runs were scored via longballs, the left-handed-hitting Burleson used the short porch in right field to his advantage.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Below the front one is a classic front porch; the outdoor spaces, per the listing, add up to about 750 square feet.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of porch
Verb
  • It was set into an oval ring face adorned with blue enamel, diamonds and pearls.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Given his exploits for Spain in North America this summer, there’s an argument for him to once again be adorned with the accolade for being the sport’s best male player.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of adorn
Noun
  • Floor-to-ceiling glass walls open to an expansive outdoor terrace where live jazz fills the air on Wednesdays and DJs keep the energy going on Friday and Saturday nights.
    — Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Enjoy views of the ocean on the private terrace of this two-bedroom flat.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 31 July 2026
Definition of terrace
Verb
  • Cox then walked into frame wearing a light pink bathrobe before draping her dark hair over Aniston’s head.
    — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026
  • Tahiliani staged a brief presentation with models in his latest designs — the most standout being a series of gowns with foam corsets that mimicked the human torso, draped with fabrics in the same color.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
Definition of drape
Verb
  • The Halos trimmed the deficit to 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Vaughn Grissom singled and Denzer Guzman drove an opposite-field, two-run homer to right-center, his fifth of the season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Three-year programs typically work by reducing the credit requirement from 120 down to 90 or 100, largely by trimming general education requirements, open electives, and the room for a double major or a semester abroad.
    — Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of trim

Phrases Containing deck

Browse Nearby Words

decisiveness
deck
decked
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Cite this Entry

“Deck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deck. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of deck for Spanish Speakers

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