pleasant

1 of 2

adjective

pleas·​ant ˈple-zᵊnt 

1

: having qualities that tend to give pleasure : agreeable

a pleasant day

2

: having or characterized by pleasing manners, behavior, or appearance

pleasantly adverb

pleasantness noun

pleasantness

2 of 2

noun

pleas·​ant·​ness

plural -es

1

: the quality or state of being pleasant

2

: the elementary feeling that is aroused by agreeable stimuli

Synonyms of pleasant

Adjective

• enjoyable
• delightful
• nice
• pleasing
• delicious
• sweet
• satisfying
• good
• welcome
• heavenly
• pleasurable

Examples of pleasant in a Sentence

Adjective

the pleasant smell of cookies baking in the oven

We had a pleasant conversation.

Our evening together was pleasant but not very exciting.

I didn't know you were coming. What a pleasant surprise!

Their new teacher seems pleasant enough.

a very pleasant young man

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Election Day in the Philadelphia region is another pleasant fall day with sunshine filtered through high clouds and highs around 70 degrees. — CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

Election Day weather on the West Coast looks mostly pleasant, with pockets of rain in Northern California. — Adela Suliman, NBC news, 3 Nov. 2026

Afternoons should be mild and mostly sunny, with lower humidity making outdoor plans more pleasant. — Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 2 Nov. 2026

To that end, dynamic pricing has also been a pleasant surprise for others, who've reported discounts of 10% and even 20% on their next bill. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English plesaunt, from Anglo-French plaisant, from present participle of plaisir

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pleasant

• peasant
• pheasant
• present
• omnipresent
• unpleasant

Kids Definition

pleasant

adjective

pleas·​ant ˈplez-ᵊnt 

1

: giving pleasure : agreeable

a pleasant day

2

: having or marked by pleasing manners, behavior, or appearance

the new teacher is very pleasant

pleasantly adverb

pleasantness noun