1
2

Try This Instead

For
Try This
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 This bold orange, purple, and white tie-dye set is a beautiful and breezy option for warm destinations. Robin Raven, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2025 There’s this great song and dance scene, and there’s that beautiful set that’s these uplit buildings that are super deco. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 26 Apr. 2025 Order a drink, admire the master carpentry, and unwind with views of the beautiful garden. Christina Liao, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2025 Property Picks This one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is just 20 steps from one of the most beautiful beaches in the world—Seven Mile Beach. Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beautiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beautiful
Adjective
  • Opened just a few years ago, the Asbury Ocean Club Hotel offers excellent service, lovely rooms and terrific food.
    Sherrie Nachman, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • This lovely, leafy city is filled with fun things to do.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And Giuseppe Trevisani, wonderful guy, is my favorite excuse of all.
    Domenico Starnone, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2025
  • There’s the potential to still reach 94 points, which might not quite have the same sheen to it as the 99 points achieved by Liverpool’s last title-winning side in 2019-20 but should still be recognised as a wonderful achievement.
    Gregg Evans, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Check out the indoor and outdoor spas after your hike up Bartlett Mountain or regain your energy with a BBQ feast on the gorgeous two-story outdoor terrace.
    Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Also make sure to stop in at the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery, which features gorgeous Florida landscapes by native son A.E.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • At a minimum, professionals are looking for dependable inventory, top-quality and professional-grade equipment, effortless trade-ins, excellent customer service and reliable and fast repairs.
    Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Incorporating a mudroom into your home is an excellent way to add value to your space.
    Sarah Lyon, Architectural Digest, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Save on breezy skirts, cute jeans, and stretchy yoga pants that are ideal for travel.
    Isabel Garcia, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025
  • More: Are cute children's books teaching kids about gender and sexuality?
    Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The awesome battery life will easily last you through a long day of heavy scrolling and video streaming.
    Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 21 Apr. 2025
  • There’s an awesome Amazon deal on a space-saving outdoor grill with a legion of fans.
    Clint Davis, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Nest Learning Thermostat is a handsome, effective device, one that arguably kickstarted the smart home revolution with its simple usability and gorgeous design.
    David Phelan, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The story finds the singer playing two characters, a devoted young Catholic woman pining for a handsome street musician and a sultry flamenco dancer.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • All of this means it’s been a fabulous week for stargazing.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Most of these are in the genus Echeveria, and there is an almost endless assortment of fabulous shapes, colors, and growth forms.
    Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beautiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beautiful. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on beautiful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!