Meaning trap
dress up
make something look more attractive
To make something look nicer or more interesting, often by adding decorations or extra details.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To make something look nicer or more interesting, often by adding decorations or extra details.
Another meaning of 'dress up' is 'wear smart or special clothes'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
She dressed up the salad with some fresh herbs and colorful vegetables.
Sometimes, people dress up their CVs to make their experience sound more impressive.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: A few plants really dress up it.
Say: A few plants really dress it up.
With a pronoun object, put it in the middle — 'dress it up', not 'dress up it'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Dress up' is the natural verb for jazzing something up; 'enhance the appearance of' is a recipe-book voice.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
dress up + thing
- a dish
- the room
- a presentation
- an outfit
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- dress up (wear smart or special clothes) — Another meaning of 'dress up' is 'wear smart or special clothes'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.