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Glite Dictionary
🎀 To make beautiful 🏅 To give an award 💻 To add code
to decorate

to decorate

72 3.9
To give someone an official honour like a medal for brave or good work
  • verb
  • /ˈdɛkəˌreɪt/
  • Formal
translation icon : condecorar
  • After his outstanding service, the general was decorated with a medal of honor by the president.
  • a decorated veteran
  • a decorated hero
  • highly decorated

Examples

  • Detective David Rhys, a highly decorated soldier.

    Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster (2011)

  • The mismanagement of the military has been so severe that many of our most decorated retired officers are speaking out.

    Academic text (2007)

  • In fact, Doc became one of the most decorated participants in the Vietnam War.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • After his arrival in Washington, Raymond Shaw was decorated at the White House by the President of the United States.

    The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

  • Each is a combat-decorated officer and among the finest men and women we have in the service.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Audie Murphy was the most decorated soldier in World War ll.

    Lianna (1983)

  • Wass's grandfather was a much-decorated general of the Vietnam War, a hero in these parts.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • MARTIN: Sally's high-school sweetheart is a decorated war veteran, a real American hero.

    American Dreamz (2006)

  • Detective Flemming was one of the most decorated NYPD detectives in the history of New York.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • You're a decorated soldier.

    Bloodsuckers (2005)

Synonyms

to honor
vsto decorate
  • US
796 2.3

Show great respect to someone, often in public

focuses on giving an official award like a medal rather than general respect
to bemedaled
vsto decorate
8.5

To give someone medals for bravery or achievement

is broader, gives official awards or marks not limited to medals

Antonyms

to penalize
  • US
60 5.5

Punish someone or make them suffer a loss for breaking a rule

How Honored

to decorate
  • Formal
72 3.9
to honor
  • US
796 2.3
to recognize
  • Formal
305 1.4
to commend
67 4.4

Surface Forms

decorate infinitive
decorated past
decorated past participle
decorating present participle
decorates third person singular

Morphology

decorate = decor (semi-transparent) = decor + ate

This specific use ('to award a medal') extends the literal sense of 'ornamenting' someone with decorations (medals); the connection is logical but somewhat specialized and not obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Decorate comes from the Latin verb decorare 'to make beautiful', and people long ago gave small 'decorations' such as medals or ribbons to wear. That's why to decorate someone can mean to give them an honor or medal.