The phrasal verb "dress up" is commonly used in both informal and formal contexts, though it is more frequently seen in casual conversation. In everyday speech, "dress up" often refers to wearing more formal or elegant clothing than usual, such as for an event, special occasion, or to impress others. Additionally, it can mean to put on a costume, especially in contexts like Halloween or themed parties. In formal writing, "dress up" might be used metaphorically to describe enhancing or improving something, such as embellishing a presentation or report. Overall, "dress up" is versatile in its application and can denote both literal and figurative embellishment.
B1
PreIntermediate
1. To put on formal clothes or a costume.
We need to dress up for the formal dinner tonight.
She loves to dress up as a princess for Halloween.
2. To make something look better or more attractive.
They tried to dress up the old building with some fresh paint.
The marketing team dressed up the report with charts and graphs to impress the board.