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a beautiful day
a perfect day
a gorgeous day
a nice day
a pretty day
beautiful music
elegant music
pleasant music
pretty music
lovely music
wonderful music
beautiful eyes
amazing eyes
pretty eyes
beautiful scenery
picturesque scenery
pristine scenery
spectacular scenery
breathtaking scenery
exquisite scenery
a beautiful baby
an adorable baby
a cute baby
a precious baby
a lovely baby
a gorgeous baby

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective beautiful differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of beautiful are comely, fair, handsome, lovely, and pretty. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," beautiful applies to whatever excites the keenest of pleasure to the senses and stirs emotion through the senses.

beautiful mountain scenery

How are the words comely and handsome related as synonyms of beautiful?

Comely is like handsome in suggesting what is coolly approved rather than emotionally responded to.

the comely grace of a dancer

When can fair be used instead of beautiful?

The words fair and beautiful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

When could handsome be used to replace beautiful?

While in some cases nearly identical to beautiful, handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance.

a handsome Georgian mansion

How do lovely and beautiful relate to one another?

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

a lovely melody

In what contexts can pretty take the place of beautiful?

The words pretty and beautiful can be used in similar contexts, but 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 beautiful Their attention to detail and commitment to quality create not only beautiful houses—but a lasting sense of community and trust. Prime Development, Kansas City Star, 20 July 2025 Southwest Side residents choose to remain living in a slice of the suburban lifestyle within the confines of our beautiful city. Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2025 Soon, his mother, who was always beautiful, started looking frail, feeling sick. John J. Lennon, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2025 Jinkx had a beautiful showing in a season where the queens all got to just show their best every week. EW.com, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for beautiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beautiful
Adjective
  • Playful and complex, just a lovely wine to enjoy with friends.
    Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • This week’s picks include a Park Slope two-bedroom with a pair of wood-burning fireplaces and a one-bedroom on Clinton Hill’s historic mansion row with a lovely triple-bay window.
    Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • So many wonderful age gap and power dynamics going on in this novel that really set the tone for a whole generation of writers to come.
    Hattie Williams July 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
  • This no-churn ice cream recipe extracts all the wonderful flavor from the corn by simmering both the kernels and cobs in whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk to make sure every bite is filled with corn flavor.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • This gorgeous version from J.Crew features an intricate shell pattern that’s darling for beach getaways.
    Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2025
  • Housed since 2013 in a gorgeous Edwardian-style structure on High Holborn Street near Covent Garden, the Rosewood London, like the city itself, truly amps up its game over the summer - and this summer is no exception.
    Erica Wertheim Zohar, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • The hiding spot seemed like an excellent spot for avoiding the sun and potential predators, but Fowler didn't feel quite the same.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
  • Performance has also been excellent so far compared to peers and a benchmark index.
    Jesse Pound, CNBC, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • Fortunately, Amazon is having a massive sale on cute linen clothes, and prices start at just $20.
    Emily Weaver, People.com, 19 July 2025
  • Because linen pants are comfortable and cute, the options are endless.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2025
Adjective
  • This is an incredible honor, and an awesome responsibility.
    Sharon DeVivo, New York Daily News, 15 July 2025
  • Cargill hit an awesome Jaded from the top rope through a table.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • Peggy meets a handsome doctor from Newport whose family is less than enthusiastic about her career.
    Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
  • Right now, a wide variety of styles are available for a fraction of their original price, like these preppy Sperry Top-Sider Men’s Gold Cup Boat Shoe Loafers, $65 off, that are suited for sun, sand, and surf, but are handsome enough to wear out to dinner.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2025
Adjective
  • The actors are so terrific and their chemistry so palpable that the hangout scenes in their fabulous Baxter Building penthouse — with a domestic droid that’s like Rosie the Robot from The Jetsons meets Number 5 from John Badham’s Short Circuit — are some of the movie’s most appealing interludes.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2025
  • For a more casual option, Big Wesser Riverside Pub is a fabulous stop to satiate your appetite after—or during—an adventure-centric day.
    Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 22 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Beautiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beautiful. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on beautiful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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