hand·some
ˈhan(t)-səm 
handsomer; handsomest
1
: having a pleasing and usually impressive or dignified appearance
a handsome man
a handsome house
2
: moderately large : sizable
a painting that commanded a handsome price
3
: marked by skill or cleverness : adroit
4
: marked by graciousness or generosity : liberal
handsome contributions to charity
5
chiefly dialectal
: appropriate, suitable
handsomely
adverb
handsomeness
noun
hand·some·ness
plural -es
: the quality or state of being handsome
the man's handsomeness excused a slight slowness of wit
Examples of handsome in a Sentence
Adjective
He was a handsome man, in a big-screen way, with the deep-set eyes and boyish smile and even the lumpy, interesting complexion of a Harrison Ford or a Robert Redford.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 10 May 2004
An Alexandrian statue of a ruggedly handsome man with gaunt features like Caesar's exploits the translucent glow of large-grained marble from the distant Greek island of Thasos, combining Roman attention to the texture of aging skin with the abstract elegance of Egyptian-style almond eyes and chiseled cheekbones.
—Ingrid D. Rowland, New Republic, 1 & 8 Apr. 2002
The Galaxy's first stop, St. Lucia's capital city of Castries, has been destroyed by so many fires that travel writers dismiss it as holding little interest. There I came upon a handsome three-story brick building that had clearly withstood the city's century of conflagrations. It was, of all things, a Carnegie Library, built by that American millionaire's beneficence in 1916.
—Carla Davidson, American Heritage, November 1999
With bonds and utility stocks under seige, many people who depend on these traditional income investments are taking a new look at real estate investment trusts. What they're finding is that "REITs" generate handsome dividend yields of 6% or more while offering the possibility of capital gains. That's not bad at a time when 10-year Treasury notes, which currently yield about 7%, come with the worry that rising interest rates will cause their value to plummet.
—Lynn Asinof, Wall Street Journal, 3 June 1994
It was a handsome house situated on a large lot.
The book includes many handsome illustrations.
I predict that someone tall, dark, and handsome is going to come into your life.
He inherited a handsome fortune.
He made a handsome profit on the sale of the house.
The book is a handsome tribute to a great poet.
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 10 May 2004
An Alexandrian statue of a ruggedly handsome man with gaunt features like Caesar's exploits the translucent glow of large-grained marble from the distant Greek island of Thasos, combining Roman attention to the texture of aging skin with the abstract elegance of Egyptian-style almond eyes and chiseled cheekbones.
—Ingrid D. Rowland, New Republic, 1 & 8 Apr. 2002
The Galaxy's first stop, St. Lucia's capital city of Castries, has been destroyed by so many fires that travel writers dismiss it as holding little interest. There I came upon a handsome three-story brick building that had clearly withstood the city's century of conflagrations. It was, of all things, a Carnegie Library, built by that American millionaire's beneficence in 1916.
—Carla Davidson, American Heritage, November 1999
With bonds and utility stocks under seige, many people who depend on these traditional income investments are taking a new look at real estate investment trusts. What they're finding is that "REITs" generate handsome dividend yields of 6% or more while offering the possibility of capital gains. That's not bad at a time when 10-year Treasury notes, which currently yield about 7%, come with the worry that rising interest rates will cause their value to plummet.
—Lynn Asinof, Wall Street Journal, 3 June 1994
It was a handsome house situated on a large lot.
The book includes many handsome illustrations.
I predict that someone tall, dark, and handsome is going to come into your life.
He inherited a handsome fortune.
He made a handsome profit on the sale of the house.
The book is a handsome tribute to a great poet.
Recent Examples on the Web
Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
Guests will have the opportunity to sip and savor on the LAUREL patio, a handsome outdoor space that takes advantage of the prime Windy City locale.
—Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Dean Butler played Almanzo Wilder, a handsome farmer/carpenter who comes to town with his sister in season 6 and goes on to become Laura’s love interest.
—Kelly Martinez, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
Our antennae immediately switch up when Hannah starts getting closer to one of her Act One classmates, Henry (Nate Mann), handsome and a little bit older.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for handsome
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Adjective
The Healys go through the everyday motions until Frankie complicates her relationship with Jo (Mickey Hanano Skinner) by catching the eye of handsome new boy Phoenix (Mario Houle).
—Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 12 June 2026
Guests will have the opportunity to sip and savor on the LAUREL patio, a handsome outdoor space that takes advantage of the prime Windy City locale.
—Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Dean Butler played Almanzo Wilder, a handsome farmer/carpenter who comes to town with his sister in season 6 and goes on to become Laura’s love interest.
—Kelly Martinez, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
Our antennae immediately switch up when Hannah starts getting closer to one of her Act One classmates, Henry (Nate Mann), handsome and a little bit older.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for handsome
Cite this Entry
“Handsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handsome. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
handsome
adjective
hand·some
ˈhan(t)-səm
1
: fairly large : sizable
a handsome fortune
2
: marked by generosity or graciousness
a handsome contribution
3
: having a pleasing and usually impressive or dignified appearance
a handsome man
handsome old buildings
handsomely
adverb
handsomeness
noun
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
