cosmetic
adjective
cos·met·ic
| \ käz-ˈme-tik
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Definition of cosmetic
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: of, relating to, or making for beauty especially of the complexion : beautifying
cosmetic salves
2
: done or made for the sake of appearance: such as
a
: correcting defects especially of the face
cosmetic surgery
b
: decorative, ornamental
c
: not substantive : superficial
cosmetic changes
3
: visually appealing
cosmetic
nounDefinition of cosmetic (Entry 2 of 2)
: something that is cosmetic: such as
a
: a cosmetic preparation for external use
b
cosmetics plural
: superficial features
a poem without rhetorical cosmetics— Guy Davenport
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Other Words from cosmetic
Adjective
cosmetically
\ käz-ˈme-ti-k(ə-)lē
\
adverb
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adverb
Synonyms & Antonyms for cosmetic
Synonyms: Adjective
adorning, beautifying, decorative, embellishing, ornamental
Antonyms: Adjective
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Examples of cosmetic in a Sentence
Adjective
Almond oil is sometimes used in cosmetic products. medical procedures that are done for cosmetic purposes The changes were purely cosmetic.Noun
Use a cosmetic to hide the scar.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Ask whether any of your cosmetic concerns will impact how much tissue is left or what your risk of cancer might be postsurgery. — Lambeth Hochwald, Glamour, "I Got a Mastectomy…Twice," 27 Sep. 2018 Damage done by this insect is distinct and mostly cosmetic, though heavy damage to a plant’s foliage will create stress on the plant. — Tim Johnson, chicagotribune.com, "It’s Japanese beetle season. Here’s how to protect your plants from these voracious pests.," 26 July 2019 Removing Court’s name from the Australian Open stadium in Melbourne is cosmetic. — Houston Mitchell, latimes.com, "The Sports Report: Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer put on a tennis clinic," 15 July 2019 Now under new management, the business, at 14849 Pomerado Road in the Twin Peaks Shopping Center, offers both medical and cosmetic skin treatments. — Emily Sorensen, Pomerado News, "Monique’s Skin Care Center under new ownership," 17 July 2019 The left wing has made a few cosmetic changes during his stay, swapping carpet for hardwood and turning the red-stained exterior beams a more natural shade of yellow. — Jack Flemming, latimes.com, "Former Anaheim Duck Andrew Cogliano lists Newport Beach home for sale," 10 June 2019 City Council members are expected to vote Thursday on a deal that would give local developer GrayStreet Partners about $1.3 million to make cosmetic changes to the Grant and Kress buildings on Houston Street. — Joshua Fechter, ExpressNews.com, "City weighs $2.8 million in incentives for developer to rehab three downtown San Antonio buildings," 7 June 2019 The guideline changes, announced Thursday, are largely cosmetic. — BostonGlobe.com, "Commonwealth Fusion Systems raises $115m," 28 June 2019 The guideline changes, announced Thursday, are largely cosmetic. — Washington Post, "Facebook enlists plain English to clarify how it makes money," 27 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The Gyllenhaals are basically the Park Slope, Brooklyn, version of the Kardashians, obsessed with stories instead of cosmetics. — Belinda Luscombe, Time, "In a New Broadway Play, Jake Gyllenhaal Attempts Something Radical: Normalcy," 8 Aug. 2019 Sales of cosmetics, which includes makeup, lipsticks, nail polish and eye shadow, have grown 31% in the United States since 2013 to more than $17 billion last year, according to Euromonitor. — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, "Dollar General has a new beauty brand for under $5 and it's going viral," 31 July 2019 Then in 2015, India entered into an agreement that made the import of cosmetics from South Korea free. — Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz India, "Flipkart says Indians are adding Korean beauty products to their carts like never before," 25 July 2019 Police said Xiang left Target, 313 E. Townline Road, without paying for $35.38 worth of cosmetics and clothing. — Pioneer Press Staff, chicagotribune.com, "Mundelein police: Man faces charges after shooting off fireworks that struck his neighbor," 16 July 2019 The hemp law that took effect 2 ½ years ago permitted sales of cosmetics and products made with hemp. — Colleen Barry, BostonGlobe.com, "Italy’s ‘cannabis light’ creates buzz even if the pot won’t," 27 June 2019 Hailey's line of cosmetics would be her solo debut into the beauty product world. — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "Hailey Bieber's Request to Trademark "Bieber Beauty" Was Reportedly Rejected," 23 June 2019 Now, Hailey Bieber née Baldwin has filed paperwork to release a line of cosmetics and skincare products under the brand name Bieber Beauty. — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "Hailey Bieber Is Launching a Makeup Line Called Bieber Beauty," 15 Apr. 2019 Prime Day isn’t really about the one million product sales or that new line of Lady Gaga cosmetics. — Alison Griswold, Quartz, "Every day is Amazon Prime Day for Amazon," 13 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cosmetic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for cosmetic
cosmetic
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of cosmetic
(Entry 1 of 2)
: used or done in order to improve a person's appearance
: done in order to make something look better
: not important or meaningful
cosmetic
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of cosmetic (Entry 2 of 2)
: a substance (such as a cream, lotion, or powder) that you put on your face or body to improve your appearance
See the full definition for cosmetic in the English Language Learners Dictionary
cosmetic
noun
cos·met·ic
| \ käz-ˈmet-ik
\
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