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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 Placing the emphasis on your envy of its speed and grace, rather than just describing the web as being beautiful, is such a Neko Case perspective. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 16 Sep. 2025 This is also a beautiful place for stargazing. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025 Pairing indie darling Kogonada (Columbus, After Yang) with white-hot, potentially commercial material indeed seemed like a big, bold, beautiful idea. Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025 Live a beautiful life with your baby. Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beautiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beautiful
Adjective
  • Robbie's French twist updo would be a lovely choice for a bride, while a sky-high style like Cardi B's would be fun for a holiday party.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Beautifully made, with lovely harmony, this is consistently one of the finest examples of Satèn; simply delicious, enjoy over the next three to seven years.
    Tom Hyland, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Stargazing is a wonderful pursuit that appeals to both the casual and dedicated observer, but views outside of cities are often much clearer and brighter thanks to different levels of light pollution.
    Harry Bennett, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Room for two, a supple ride, a gorgeous view over a curved hood, perfect flow of air up and over the windshield and cockpit with virtually no backsplash to disrupt pleasant conversation, and the ability at any time to experience a rush of power and speed when the moment calls.
    Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • As sociologist Mustapha Hashim Kurfi writes, in Hausa communities of northern Nigeria, calligraphy is deeply valued both as part of Islamic scholarship and as gorgeous embellishment for everything from building walls to horse blankets.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Harry Dean Stanton is excellent.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Moisture recovery ranged from good to excellent, with morning relative humidity levels between 55% and 88%.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The buzzy long-sleeve shirt has a cute ribbed design, and it’s made of soft, stretchy fabric that doesn’t feel overly restrictive.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This cute camisole is perfect for lounging around or pairing with your favorite sweatpants or leggings.
    Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • That rules, actually, that video is awesome.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • But the people there were awesome.
    Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • And part of it was that face, the sort of Adonis-like mug that tips the scales from handsome to outright pretty.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Being Birkin’s partner was an ego boost for Gainsbourg, who had never been conventionally handsome and whose heavy drinking and smoking had aged him prematurely.
    Anahid Nersessian, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For all its grand ambitions and notable budget, The Cortège often feels like a fabulous Pinterest board come to life rather than a coherent performance.
    David Hochman, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • One of these things has intrigue, murder, thrilling cinematography, and fabulous costumes.
    Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Beautiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beautiful. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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