doll up

verb

dolled up; dolling up; dolls up
Synonyms of doll upnext

transitive verb

1
: to dress elegantly or extravagantly
2
: to make more attractive (as by decorating)

intransitive verb

: to get dolled up

Examples of doll up in a Sentence

if you were to doll up those Shaker-style rooms, you'd ruin their simple elegance got all dolled up for the party
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Toddler girl wearing striped shorts and vest set propping her baby doll up against a wall to take a photo. Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025 Looking to doll up your collarbones instead? Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025 Make your little one’s Christmas morning by picking this doll up from under the tree. Kiana Murden, CNN Underscored, 16 Dec. 2020 Not everyone is thrilled by Dancoisne-Martineau's efforts to doll up the sites however. Julia Buckley, CNN, 5 May 2021 To further doll up your kitchen, Hilton’s main cutlery set features eight luxuriously golden knives with soft pink handles and gold accents. Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2023 To doll up that campfire treat, Dieguez recommended adding a strawberry or roasting some sugary marshmallow Peeps. René A. Guzman, ExpressNews.com, 11 May 2020 The store had to be closed for several days while volunteers set the dolls up for display, and only 25 shoppers could be allowed in at a time for viewing because of the dolls’ values. Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of doll up was in 1903

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doll up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doll%20up. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

doll up

verb
: to dress in fine stylish clothing
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