Commonly confused
Dress up vs Dress down
“Dress up” and “Dress down” look alike but pull in different directions. Here is what each one means, with examples — and the difference that learners most often miss.
The key difference
Dress up means put on smart or formal clothes. Dress down means wear less formal clothes than usual.
dress up
- 1
Put on smart or formal clothes
“We dressed up for the wedding.”
- 2
Wear a costume, often imitating someone or something
“The kids dressed up as pirates for Halloween.”
- 3
Make something look more attractive or impressive than it is
“He dressed up the bad results to please the board.”
dress down
- 1
Wear less formal clothes than usual
“You can dress down on Fridays.”
Stop mixing them up
Sink In turns confusable pairs like this into quick contrast drills, so the right particle becomes automatic.