comeliness 1 of 2

comely

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective comely differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of comely are beautiful, fair, handsome, lovely, and pretty. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," comely is like handsome in suggesting what is coolly approved rather than emotionally responded to.

the comely grace of a dancer

When is it sensible to use beautiful instead of comely?

The words beautiful and comely 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

When would fair be a good substitute for comely?

Although the words fair and comely have much in common, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

When might handsome be a better fit than comely?

In some situations, the words handsome and comely are roughly equivalent. However, handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance.

a handsome Georgian mansion

How do lovely and beautiful relate to one another, in the sense of comely?

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

a lovely melody

Where would pretty be a reasonable alternative to comely?

The meanings of pretty and comely largely overlap; however, 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 comeliness
Adjective
Instead, his big conversion comes later, after Rafael takes a fist to the face for dancing with a local tough guy’s comely fiancée. Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Aug. 2023 Connecticut-raised Troy’s debut novel, Floating, imagines a dinky, dusty town in Arizona where its comely protagonist, Ruby, falls in love with her husband’s estranged, cowboy brother. Hazlitt, 4 May 2022 Chin picks up a slide in comely tones of gray, brown, and off-white. Karen Wright, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 The comely stars, who are excellent at trolling each other online, are already parents to daughters James, 4, and Inez, 2. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2019 See All Example Sentences for comeliness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comeliness
Noun
  • Brought over from the lowlands of Eastern Asia, oriental bittersweet was primarily admired for its beauty.
    Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The beauty mogul and mom of two shared the sad news on Instagram with an emotional tribute to the dog, complete with a carousel of photos of Norman through the years.
    Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Fifty-one years old, full head of hair, strikingly handsome, with three young kids (Tyler, Skyler, and Zoe) and wife (Donna, attorney).
    Iris Bahr, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Your fantasies are startling yet most opportune; your French landscape as much there as the handsome red cover itself.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • All college football fans know that chaos often strikes when a weekend of games doesn’t appear to be the most attractive.
    The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • JPMorgan upgrades Coinbase to overweight from neutral JPMorgan says shares of the crypto company are too attractive to ignore.
    Michael Bloom, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Things changed in January when management announced that DuPont would retain its water business — not only to accelerate the timing of the electronics spin, but also to enhance the overall attractiveness of the remaining legacy company.
    Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Nevertheless, regardless of the potential attractiveness, investing in an individual stock entails significant risk.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The result is a pie with a beautiful, super creamy texture that’s not too sweet, and allows for the flavor of the sweet potatoes to shine through.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Kirbi, that rasp is so beautiful at the top of your register.
    Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Lanthimos’s gaze, so exactingly attuned to human ugliness, has seldom given us lovelier things to look at.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Those milpas were really lovely, a fit setting for hunting the smartest, gamest bird in the Southwest.
    Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Mankinlu Maple Leaf Solar Pathway Lights As daylight starts to fade earlier, these cute pathway lights add both charm and function to your yard.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The easiest fix for the age-old struggle between cute and comfy?
    Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Ahead, three ways to make the most of these pretty plants well beyond summer.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The Brightline’s passenger cars are softly lit with pretty blue LEDs along the ceiling, and the roomy seats are upholstered with soft white leather.
    Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Comeliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comeliness. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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