Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective comely differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of comely are beautiful, fair, handsome, lovely, and pretty. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," comely is like handsome in suggesting what is coolly approved rather than emotionally responded to.

the comely grace of a dancer

When is it sensible to use beautiful instead of comely?

The words beautiful and comely can be used in similar contexts, but beautiful applies to whatever excites the keenest of pleasure to the senses and stirs emotion through the senses.

beautiful mountain scenery

When would fair be a good substitute for comely?

Although the words fair and comely have much in common, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

When might handsome be a better fit than comely?

In some situations, the words handsome and comely are roughly equivalent. However, handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance.

a handsome Georgian mansion

How do lovely and beautiful relate to one another, in the sense of comely?

Lovely is close to beautiful but applies to a narrower range of emotional excitation in suggesting the graceful, delicate, or exquisite.

a lovely melody

Where would pretty be a reasonable alternative to comely?

The meanings of pretty and comely largely overlap; however, pretty often applies to superficial or insubstantial attractiveness.

a painter of conventionally pretty scenes

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of comely Instead, his big conversion comes later, after Rafael takes a fist to the face for dancing with a local tough guy’s comely fiancée. Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Aug. 2023 Connecticut-raised Troy’s debut novel, Floating, imagines a dinky, dusty town in Arizona where its comely protagonist, Ruby, falls in love with her husband’s estranged, cowboy brother. Hazlitt, 4 May 2022 The comely stars, who are excellent at trolling each other online, are already parents to daughters James, 4, and Inez, 2. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2019 Furthermore, the plant is topped by comely flowers, which in time proudly adorned the button-holes of no less than Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, in their day intentionally marketing the potato to a then-skeptical proletariat. Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2019 See All Example Sentences for comely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comely
Adjective
  • The main building for what is now the Austin State Hospital is a handsome neoclassical structure designed for the asylum that chartered in 1856.
    Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 4 July 2025
  • Night Light® is a handsome, compact variety, producing radiant golden foliage that takes on bronze and chartreuse hues in winter.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 4 July 2025
Adjective
  • Investments in private equity, real estate crowdfunding and digital assets have surged as younger investors proactively manage risks related to inflation and market downturns, seeking stable yet attractive returns.
    Hemanth Golla, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • The use of renewable coconut husks may be an attractive point for anyone looking to make their home more eco-conscious.
    Michelle Rostamian, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Until then, the MIT Museum will remain a beautiful shell with very little inside.
    Amir Husain, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • The vanilla then starts to peek through almost immediately, creating this beautiful sweetness that feels natural rather than artificial.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • With so many lovely fruits at our fingertips, there’s no reason to trifle with making a trifle this summer.
    Josh Miller, Southern Living, 28 June 2025
  • Jake looked back over a decade’s worth of Denis stating his desire to one day direct Bond and there is some lovely detail – the clues were there from the start.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • July 6, 2025: Rodman watching Shelton’s match at Wimbledon is so cute the ESPN announcer literally giggles trying to talk about them.
    Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 7 July 2025
  • Oh, and the best pairs of the bunch are also plain old comfy (and cute, in a gorpcore kind of way).
    Sara Coughlin, SELF, 7 July 2025
Adjective
  • Knife sets, coffee makers, and pretty plates round out the non-regrettable basics to pick up.
    Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 8 July 2025
  • Finally, in the 27th minute, Marcel Ruiz played a pretty entry pass into the box, where Raúl Jiménez did wonderfully to turn and sting a left-footed shot past Matt Freese just inches in front of the shin of Tim Ream, who rushed to try to block the shot of his former Fulham teammate.
    Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 7 July 2025
Adjective
  • On top of the pocket perk, the prints of this high-waist maxi skirt are gorgeous, with pretty florals, geometric designs, and solid colors.
    Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 4 July 2025
  • This crossbody phone case is made from genuine leather and has gorgeous gold accents.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 4 July 2025
Adjective
  • At first, the breathless news stories seemed charming and harmless.
    David W. Brown, New Yorker, 5 July 2025
  • This adorably resilient and charming 7-year-old Australian Cattle Dog has been waiting for her forever home at the Arizona Humane Society since March - much too long for such a loving pup.
    AZCentral.com, AZCentral.com, 3 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Comely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comely. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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