# put on frills

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/put-on-frills
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To act in a pretentious or snobbish way.

## Examples

- He likes to put on frills when he talks to his neighbors.
- She started to put on frills after her promotion, acting as if she were better than her old friends.
- Despite his humble beginnings, he began to put on frills at social gatherings, adopting an affected accent and looking down upon those he once called peers.

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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.