Phrasal verb
jazz up
Definition
phrasal verb. to make something more exciting, interesting, or attractive.
phrasal verb. to enhance the aesthetic appeal or excitement of something, typically through ornamentation or stylistic modification.
Examples
“You can jazz up this plain dress with a colorful scarf.”
“The chef decided to jazz up the traditional recipe by adding some exotic spices and fresh herbs.”
“The marketing team attempted to jazz up the annual report with vibrant infographics to distract from the disappointing fiscal results.”
Examples
simple
“You can jazz up this plain dress with a colorful scarf.”
contextual
“The chef decided to jazz up the traditional recipe by adding some exotic spices and fresh herbs.”
complex
“The marketing team attempted to jazz up the annual report with vibrant infographics to distract from the disappointing fiscal results.”
Usage
often used with inanimate objects like clothes, rooms, or pieces of writing.
Teaching tip
the term originates from the lively nature of jazz music; it is a great way to introduce how musical genres can become verbs in English.
Pitfall
He jazzed up to the party.
He jazzed up the party.
this phrasal verb requires an object that is being improved; it is not a synonym for 'arriving' or 'dressing up'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
jazz + up + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/jazz-up