What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
adornment
Example
The room was filled with beautiful adornments such as paintings and sculptures. [adornments: noun]
Example
She adorned her hair with a pretty flower clip. [adorned: verb]
embellishment
Example
The dress was stunning with its intricate embellishments of beads and sequins. [embellishments: noun]
Example
He embellished his story with exaggerated details to make it more interesting. [embellished: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Adornment is more commonly used than embellishment in everyday language. Adornment is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while embellishment is less common and is often used in specific contexts such as fashion or storytelling.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between adornment and embellishment?
Both adornment and embellishment can be used in formal and informal contexts. However, adornment is more commonly used in everyday language and may be considered slightly less formal than embellishment which is often used in more specialized or artistic contexts.
