picturesque

adjective

pic·​tur·​esque ˌpik-chə-ˈresk 

1

a

: resembling a picture : suggesting a painted scene

b

: charming or quaint in appearance

2

: evoking mental images : vivid

picturesquely adverb

picturesqueness noun

Synonyms of picturesque

• vivid
• graphic
• descriptive

Choose the Right Synonym for picturesque

graphic, vivid, picturesque mean giving a clear visual impression in words.

graphic stresses the evoking of a clear lifelike picture.

a graphic account of combat

vivid suggests an impressing on the mind of the vigorous aliveness of something.

a vivid re-creation of an exciting event

picturesque suggests the presentation of a striking or effective picture composed of features notable for their distinctness and charm.

a picturesque account of his travels

Examples of picturesque in a Sentence

The view of the mountains was very picturesque.

wrote a picturesque tale of their journey across the country

Recent Examples on the Web

Inside, floor-to-ceiling windows offer picturesque beach views, but also reduce the building’s energy footprint. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

Most are soft; some are veiled by haze or sea mist, and others employ blur to picturesque ends. —James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026

Winfield abuts Regents Park, which is picturesque, has ducks and is clearly urban. —Debora Cahn, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026

Spend a day among the absurdly picturesque hamlet’s boutique shops, restaurants, seals, and sea lions. —Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

French & Italian; French pittoresque, from Italian pittoresco, from pittore painter, from Latin pictor, from pingere

First Known Use

1705, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

picturesque

adjective

pic·​tur·​esque ˌpik-chə-ˈresk 

1

a

: resembling or suitable for a painted picture

a picturesque landscape

b

: charming, quaint

picturesque customs

2

: calling forth a striking mental picture

a picturesque story

picturesquely adverb

picturesqueness noun