decorated

decorated — verb

1. to put attractive things such as flowers, lights, ribbons, or pictures onto a su

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to put attractive things such as flowers, lights, ribbons, or pictures onto a surface or into a space so that it looks more pleasing to the eye

例句

Beatriz decorated the garden with paper lanterns and hanging streamers for the birthday party.

decorate + object + with + items

The children decorated their classroom with colourful paintings and balloons before the school fair.

同義詞
  • adorn

    more formal and literary; suggests adding beautiful items to something that is already fine

  • embellish

    often implies adding small details to make something more interesting or fancy

  • garnish

    used mainly for food and drink, e.g. garnish a dish with herbs

反義詞
  • strip

    to remove decorative items from a surface or space

文法句型

decorate + object + with + decorative items

用法筆記

The person or object receiving the decoration is the direct object; the material used follows 'with'.

常見錯誤

❌I decorated the wall with green paint' (when you mean painting the surface).
✅I decorated the wall with posters and frames.
💡For painting or wallpapering a room, use sense 2 (PAINT WALLS); for adding separate items to an already-finished surface, use this sense.

2. to refresh the walls and other surfaces of a room or building by painting them,

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

to refresh the walls and other surfaces of a room or building by painting them, adding wallpaper, or applying new finishes

例句

Eleni spent the whole weekend decorating the spare bedroom before the baby arrived.

spend time V-ing + decorating [room]

The landlord told us we are not allowed to decorate the flat without written permission.

同義詞
  • paint

    specific to applying paint; less general than decorate

  • redo

    informal; implies re-decorating a room from start to finish

  • refurbish

    more formal; covers decoration plus repairs and renewal

文法句型

decorate + object (room, building)

用法筆記

This sense is most common in British English, where 'decorating' a room means painting or wallpapering its surfaces. In American English, 'paint' or 'wallpaper' is more common for this specific activity.

常見錯誤

❌I decorated the cake with icing' (confusing with sense 1).
✅I decorated the living room with fresh paint and new wallpaper.
💡This sense is about surface treatment of rooms/buildings, not adding ornaments.

3. to give someone an official honour such as a medal, a military cross, or a disti

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to give someone an official honour such as a medal, a military cross, or a distinguished title as a public mark of recognition for their bravery, service, or achievement

例句

The young captain was decorated for bravery after leading his troops safely through enemy territory.

passive: was decorated for [quality]

The president decorated the nurse with the Order of Merit for her decades of service.

active: subject decorated person with [award name]

同義詞
  • honour

    wider meaning; can include awards, ceremonies, or any public recognition

  • cite

    means to mention someone formally for bravery, often leading to a decoration

反義詞
  • disgrace

    to bring shame upon someone, opposite of honouring them

文法句型

be decorated + for + achievement

be decorated + with + medal name

用法筆記

Almost always used in the passive voice (be decorated) or as the adjective form. The active voice typically has an official or head of state as the subject. The award is introduced with 'with'.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher decorated the student with a certificate of achievement.
✅The soldier was decorated for his courage during the rescue mission.
💡This sense is restricted to formal, official honours such as military medals or state awards, not school or workplace certificates.

decorated — adjective