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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 That’s why the pushback by politicians against Homeland Security’s big, beautiful boo-boo has been quick — and hilarious. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025 Few of the hotels in this city, even the most beautiful among them, feel quite as regal as the Saint James. Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2025 That's why the new savings account for children included in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill , with a one-time deposit of $1,000 from the federal government, is truly beautiful to the investment community. Medora Lee, USA Today, 23 May 2025 Leatherman, who has been evaluating beaches since 1991, has developed a 50-factor checklist for determining the most beautiful expanses of sand in the United States. Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for beautiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beautiful
Adjective
  • The lovely gorge setting makes Screw Auger a popular place to visit in the summer.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2025
  • Nini Berndt makes lovely work of this bruise-writing, the kind of devastation that leaves you with your fist pressed to your lips, aching hard for everyone involved.
    Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 3 June 2025
Adjective
  • My 10-year-old avocado grown from seed produced two wonderful fruits last year.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 June 2025
  • Tanja Caldwell designed the wonderful costumes for Mara Block Ali’s Netflix series, Forever.
    Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • This wonderful, hopeful video shares the gorgeous songs of these vanishing birds.
    GrrlScientist, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • The double-height reception room and its gorgeous grand piano add a touch of drama to the living quarters while Philip Jeffries wallpaper and curated vintage furnishings bring warmth and personality to every corner.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • Robin will make an excellent addition to our great Kentucky State Senate Majority!
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
  • Greenery also makes an excellent addition to a resortcore space.
    Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Plus, a slight slit in the legs adds a cute and playful touch.
    Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 13 June 2025
  • Related Articles Miss Manners: Another mother chided me for group-texting a cute photo.
    Eric Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • Teresi continued his role as an awesome do-it-all player Saturday.
    Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
  • Paul hit an awesome Asai Moonsault on Jey Uso through a table, so Jey will walk into Raw’s world title match against Gunther even more banged up.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • While at a wedding, Harry (Pascal), a handsome millionaire, starts flirting with her.
    Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 13 June 2025
  • None of that is as interesting as the romance between the novel’s poor orphan Eun-Jae and the handsome prince Yi Beon.
    Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • Randy Breed: Mixed Age: 10 months Randy is a fabulous guy who navigates the world around him with charisma and positive energy, despite being deaf.
    Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2025
  • This obsession recently led me to the most fabulous adventure in the South of France, courtesy of Matiere Premiere.
    Stixx Mathews, Essence, 2 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on beautiful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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