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Glite Dictionary
✨ Shiny decoration 🎭 Superficial show ✨ To decorate 🎭 To make flashy
to tinsel

to tinsel

1 4.1
To decorate with thin shiny strips for a festive look
  • verb
  • /ˈtɪnsl/
translation icon : adornar con espumillón
  • Every year, we tinsel the house with colorful garlands for the holiday party.

Examples

  • She decided to tinsel the Christmas tree with sparkly decorations to make it more festive.

  • New Year's, Yes, tis the season, tinsel the season.

  • If her father said thus and thus, then it was thus and thus back; another myth smashed to smithereens. Does the world really need people cutting down trees in order to string lights and tinsel all over them?

    Fiction book (2000)

  • To prepare for the celebration, he began to tinsel the windows with shimmering silver strands.

Synonyms

to decorate
vsto tinsel
226 1.9

To make something look nicer by adding paint, ornaments, or other items

applies specifically to adding shiny strips for a festive look rather than general beautifying
to adorn
vsto tinsel
45 4.9

To put decorations on something to make it look more beautiful

uses shiny strips mainly for festive sparkle rather than tasteful general ornament
to encrust
vsto tinsel
12 6.7

To cover something thickly with small shiny objects like jewels

applies lighter shiny strips for holiday sparkle rather than heavy layering
to jewel
vsto tinsel
10 6.8

To decorate something with precious stones

uses simple metallic strands to create sparkle rather than adding precious stones
to gussy
vsto tinsel
  • Informal
8 8.7

Make something or someone look fancier by adding decorations

adds shiny strips to create a festive shine rather than only fancier style
to bling
vsto tinsel
  • Slang
5 8.9

To add shiny decorations to something to make it look expensive

creates a festive shiny look but without expensive or ostentatious suggestion
to gild
vsto tinsel
5 7.0

Cover an object with a thin layer of gold or metal that looks like gold

uses flimsy metallic strips for festive shine rather than thin gold layering
to bedeck
vsto tinsel
4 7.8

To put fancy decorations like flowers or lights on something to make it look special

focuses on adding shiny strips for a festive effect rather than lavish ornamenting
to ornament
vsto tinsel
4 3.7

To add decorations to something to make it look nicer

adds shiny strips to achieve festive shine rather than small decorative details
to bedazzle
vsto tinsel
3 5.1

Add bright, shiny pieces to clothes or things to attract attention

aims more for simple festive shine than to strongly impress
to garland
vsto tinsel
1 5.7

To decorate something with a band of flowers or leaves

uses shiny metallic strips for festive sparkle rather than floral decoration
to spangle
vsto tinsel
1 7.6

To cover something with small shiny pieces to make it sparkle

uses metallic strips rather than small pieces for festive shine
to bespangle
vsto tinsel
  • Archaic
9.9

To cover or decorate something with small shiny things

uses metallic strips to give a festive shiny look
to incrust
vsto tinsel
9.8

To cover something with many gems or decorations

uses thin shiny strands for festive effect not heavy gem layers
to beset
vsto tinsel
  • Literature
9.1

To cover an object with many jewels or decorations

focuses on casual shiny strands for festivity rather than lavish jewel covering
to begem
vsto tinsel
  • Archaic
9.9

To decorate something with gems like diamonds or rubies

uses inexpensive shiny strips for festive effect rather than gem decoration
to begild
vsto tinsel
  • Archaic
9.9

To put thin gold or gold leaf on something

uses shiny metallic strips for festive effect rather than gold covering
to engild
vsto tinsel
  • Archaic
9.9

To cover something with gold or thin gold leaf

uses affordable metallic strands for sparkle rather than applying gold

How Decorated

to gild
5 7.0
to tinsel
1 4.1
to adorn
45 4.9
to decorate
226 1.9

Surface Forms

tinsel infinitive
tinselled past
tinselled past participle
tinseling present participle
tinsels third person singular

Etymology

Tinsel as a verb comes from the noun tinsel meaning 'sparkle', so to tinsel something is to put shiny strips on it to make it look festive.