Definition of beautifulnext
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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 Beyond the beautiful beach, Rimini is the perfect location to spend a couple of days exploring the city’s Roman and Renaissance heritage before or after visiting Sant’Agata Feltria. Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 All the tender moments leading up to her beautiful day are forever etched in my heart. Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026 Spend a day aboard a beautiful wooden boat traveling down Itacaré’s Rio de Contas, and the food begins to make even more sense. Mikael Castro, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026 Low-key highlights include strolling the ‘Sconset Bluff Walk, picnicking on beautiful beaches, a whale-watching tour (the season runs throughout summer), and enjoying a sunset cruise from the harbor. Josh Roberts, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beautiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beautiful
Adjective
  • My lovely therapist even gave me a map of the feet at the end to help me decipher where best to apply pressure at home.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
  • This formula that not only acts as a deodorant, but imparts a lovely fragrance (and that's particularly appealing in the dead of summer).
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Such a contrast to the wonderful Bootham Crescent, York’s home until 2020 and within stumbling distance of not only the famous Minster but all the city’s many other attractions.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Stepping into the shoes of Steve McQueen is no easy feat, but Brosnan does so with style as Thomas Crown, a billionaire art thief who falls for the insurance investigator chasing him, played by the wonderful Rene Russo.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • However, Imagineers put those worries to rest with a gorgeous new model of the fantastical land and a model of the boat ride vehicle for its central attraction.
    Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Nothing says summer like a family-friendly puppet show presented for free on a gorgeous, warm evening in a scenic Alameda park.
    Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Simashev is excellent defensively and on retrievals and tilts the ice in his favor.
    Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • As far as pop stars who happen to also be thoughtful and excellent songwriters go, Kahan is in the upper ranks.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • After Culkin penned a sweet message to Song on Instagram at the time, the actress responded by posting a cute Polaroid-style snap of the couple sharing a kiss on her own Instagram page.
    Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
  • There are some really cute rooftop spots in the Beverly Hills area.
    Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Like genuinely one of the most awesome episodes in the Game of Thrones universe.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Justin Gonzales, the club’s top power prospect, is having an awesome stretch for the Drive.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Getty Images In less than a year, Mark Walter bought the NBA’s most valuable franchise and then flipped it for a handsome profit.
    Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Ideally located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in the Taskers Pond neighborhood, a handsome colonial has just come on the market.
    James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • There are also more complicated emotions, like jealousy, that fabulous women are allowed to express more fully.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Sure, the paint job looks fabulous, and the commemorative stickers and the special serial numbers might woo a select few, but there’s hardly much beyond that.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Beautiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beautiful. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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