decorate

/ˈdɛkəɹeɪt/

//ˈdɛkəɹeɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"decorate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“decorate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #18,056 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#18,056
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To furnish with decorations.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

decorate vs desolate
75% similar
decorate vs detonate
75% similar
decorate vs decorated
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for decorate
PropertyValue
Headworddecorate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈdɛkəɹeɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#18,056
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “decorate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). decorate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for decorate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdɛkəɹeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #18,056 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for decorate, with forms such as "dceorate", "ddecorate", and "deccorate". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "desolate", "detonate", "decorated", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English decorat (“adorned”), from Latin decorātus, perfect passive participle of decorō (“to adorn, distinguish, honor”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from decus (“ornament, grace, dignity, honor”, decor- in compounds), akin to decor (“elega… The correct English form is decorate, spelled D-E-C-O-R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To furnish with decorations.
  2. 2
    To improve the appearance of an interior of, as a house, room, or office.
  3. 3
    To improve the appearance of an interior of, as a house, room, or office.
  4. 4
    To honor by providing a medal, ribbon, or other adornment.
  5. 5
    To extend a method, etc. by attaching some further code item.

Etymology

From Middle English decorat (“adorned”), from Latin decorātus, perfect passive participle of decorō (“to adorn, distinguish, honor”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from decus (“ornament, grace, dignity, honor”, decor- in compounds), akin to decor (“elegance, grace, beauty, ornament”), from decet (“adorn, befit”).

Synonyms

adoreadornapparelarraydetailbeautifybedeckbetrimcommenddecoratedecoredeckdeck outdo updress updubembellishgarnishgracemangonizeornamentprettifypretty up

Antonyms

defacedisfiguredefiguredistort

This word in other languages

decorar(Español)décorer(Français)ausschmücken(Deutsch)decorar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: dceorate,ddecorate,deccorate,decoarte,decoraet,decoratte,decorrate,decortae,decroate,deocrate,edcorate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of decorate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

dceorate2ddecorate1deccorate1decoarte2decoraet2decoratte1decorrate1decortae2
Edit distance from "decorate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "decorate"?
"decorate" is spelled D-E-C-O-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɛkəɹeɪt/.
What does "decorate" mean?
As a verb, "decorate" means: To furnish with decorations.
What words are commonly confused with "decorate"?
"decorate" is commonly confused with "desolate", "detonate", "decorated". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "decorate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decorate" is /ˈdɛkəɹeɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "decorate"?
From Middle English decorat (“adorned”), from Latin decorātus, perfect passive participle of decorō (“to adorn, distinguish, honor”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from decus (“ornament, grace, dignity, honor”, decor- in compounds), akin to dec... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “decorate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-C-O-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdɛkəɹeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “desolate” - see the side-by-side comparison. decorate vs desolate
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list