# dowdy up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dowdy-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To make something appear plain and unattractive.

## Examples

- The old curtains really dowdy up the room.
- She felt that the heavy, dark furniture served only to dowdy up the bright apartment.
- The architect argued that the addition of such utilitarian structures would inevitably dowdy up the historic facade of the building.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.