pretty 1 of 3

1
2
as in nice
giving pleasure or contentment to the mind or senses she was not a pretty sight after she fell off her horse and into the mud

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

pretty

2 of 3

adverb

pretty

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective pretty differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of pretty are beautiful, comely, fair, handsome, and lovely. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," pretty often applies to superficial or insubstantial attractiveness.

a painter of conventionally pretty scenes

When is beautiful a more appropriate choice than pretty?

The words beautiful and pretty 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

How do comely and handsome relate to one another, in the sense of pretty?

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

the comely grace of a dancer

Where would fair be a reasonable alternative to pretty?

In some situations, the words fair and pretty are roughly equivalent. However, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

When might handsome be a better fit than pretty?

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

a handsome Georgian mansion

How are the words lovely and beautiful related as synonyms of pretty?

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

a lovely melody

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 pretty
Adjective
From Saturday, March 1, to Saturday, April 12, 2025 pretty Venus goes retrograde. Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, 28 Feb. 2025 Situated in the scenic village of Alfriston, the hotel is surrounded by a bustling community famed for throwing fetes and fayres on the ‘Tye’ (the village green), the sweeping South Downs National Park and chocolate-box-pretty pubs. Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
Adverb
Cozy, pretty, and budget-friendly? Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025 Some of the prettiest defensive tape in the NFL this year came via Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph last week against Philadelphia on third downs. Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
Those stumbles aside, the future is looking pretty promising for Crumbl. Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025 And did that always look pretty growing up? Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pretty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretty
Adjective
  • SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.
    Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
  • An enemy may have invaded your beautiful, green lawn, leaving it ugly and brown.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This one, for example, has fun detailing on the sleeves and a nice roomy fit that looks as comfortable as a sweatshirt.
    Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Bills come due, eventually, in every sense, though reported name, image and likeness earnings nearing $2 million at Utah are a nice buffer.
    Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The assessment by PlanIT Geo also found that only 29% of Pittsburg’s land is suitable for new tree planting, due to impervious surfaces.
    Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Dill quickly found three more suitable classrooms at La Costa Canyon High School for the ATP students.
    Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • The pair keep a relatively low profile but have collaborated on productions including Wickline’s theater project, Dukes Forever, which Hornbuckle directed.
    Alyssa Davis, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Keeping with tradition, ADD Drug’s menu has remained relatively unchanged over the past six decades—including the old-school prices.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Music aside, Stone Groove Stillhouse is quite the looker.
    Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 29 July 2025
  • David Hockney is a good looker.
    Dodie Kazanjian, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Regardless, Jones should still be a significant part of the rotation — his excellent field goal percentage and contributions in assists and steals are quite lovely.
    Stan Son, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Undermining the existing system for partisan ends won’t make the picture look any lovelier.
    Michael Hiltzik, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Outlook used to be complex and unfriendly, but Microsoft has replaced it with a far sleeker and faster version, which is surprisingly pleasant to work with.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The home at 4573 Greenview Drive unfolds across 4,523 square feet with four en suite bedrooms and pleasant surprises around every corner.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The appropriate State or local election official shall place such names on the official voting list.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Reddit threads dissect what’s real and what’s not, cataloging whether a timepiece is authentic, era-appropriate, or even properly worn.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pretty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretty. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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