ELEGANT Synonyms: 160 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'elegant' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of elegant are choice , dainty , delicate , exquisite , and rare . While all these words mean "having qualities that appeal to a cultivated taste," elegant applies to what is rich and luxurious but restrained by good taste. // a sumptuous but elegant dining room

Q: When is it sensible to use 'choice' instead of 'elegant'?

In some situations, the words choice and elegant are roughly equivalent. However, choice stresses preeminence in quality or kind. // choice fabric

Q: Where would 'dainty' be a reasonable alternative to 'elegant'?

Although the words dainty and elegant have much in common, dainty sometimes carries an additional suggestion of smallness and of appeal to the eye or palate. // dainty sandwiches

Q: When is 'delicate' a more appropriate choice than 'elegant'?

The meanings of delicate and elegant largely overlap; however, delicate implies exquisiteness, subtlety, and fragility. // delicate craftsmanship

Q: When would 'exquisite' be a good substitute for 'elegant'?

While in some cases nearly identical to elegant , exquisite implies a perfection in workmanship or design that appeals only to very sensitive taste. // an exquisite gold bracelet

Q: When might 'rare' be a better fit than 'elegant'?

While the synonyms rare and elegant are close in meaning, rare suggests an uncommon excellence. // rare beauty

elegant

adjective

ˈe-li-gənt

Definition of elegant

as in graceful

having or showing elegance the most elegant First Lady in the nation's history the bride's elegant gown received nothing but praise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in exquisite

having qualities that appeal to a refined taste prepared an elegant dinner for the honored guests

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word elegant different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of elegant are choice, dainty, delicate, exquisite, and rare. While all these words mean "having qualities that appeal to a cultivated taste," elegant applies to what is rich and luxurious but restrained by good taste.

a sumptuous but elegant dining room

When is it sensible to use choice instead of elegant?

In some situations, the words choice and elegant are roughly equivalent. However, choice stresses preeminence in quality or kind.

choice fabric

Where would dainty be a reasonable alternative to elegant?

Although the words dainty and elegant have much in common, dainty sometimes carries an additional suggestion of smallness and of appeal to the eye or palate.

dainty sandwiches

When is delicate a more appropriate choice than elegant?

The meanings of delicate and elegant largely overlap; however, delicate implies exquisiteness, subtlety, and fragility.

delicate craftsmanship

When would exquisite be a good substitute for elegant?

While in some cases nearly identical to elegant, exquisite implies a perfection in workmanship or design that appeals only to very sensitive taste.

an exquisite gold bracelet

When might rare be a better fit than elegant?

While the synonyms rare and elegant are close in meaning, rare suggests an uncommon excellence.

rare beauty

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 elegant The result is a more elegant shape, more like that original McLaren F1 road car of 30 years ago. — New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026 Classic tees for effortless layering, elegant slips for summer’s heat, statement skirts for a touch of drama, and playful outerwear for the season ahead. — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026 Whether casually elegant in the style of Jane Birkin or something eye-catching like Bianca Jagger might wear, the best outfits take inspiration from the decade’s most stylish women. — Michel Mejía, Glamour, 24 Aug. 2026 His cutlery’s subtly unusual proportions manage to be elegant and playful at the same time, like that perfect joke that lands gracefully at a cocktail party, where everyone laughs and nobody chortles. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elegant

Recent Examples of Synonyms for elegant

Adjective

The driveway, lined with perennial beds, has a graceful curve on its way to a large circle that allows guests to park near the walkway to the front porch.

— James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
The country is mired in a war with Iran with no graceful exit opportunities; a new round of tariffs threatens to further disrupt fragile global trade relations; and the domestic economy faces inflation combined with paltry growth.

— Zachary Karabell, Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of graceful

Adjective

The narrative is punctuated by prose-poems about the water conditions during her swims, which varied enormously from day to day and month to month, sometimes exquisite, sometimes terrifying.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Unlike the first one, though, this features an exquisite metal body and a more elegant design reminiscent of some top-end BlackBerry phones of yore.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of exquisite

Adjective

This year’s sale is also ripe with small space-friendly gems like the Sanders Reversible sectional and Sven loveseat, both with handsome designs that can speak volumes in a living room of any size.

— Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
The rooms The 160 rooms and suites strike a balance between modern style and island charm, with leafy wallpaper, handsome headboards, and artwork by local artists that nod to Key West’s quirky spirit—think roosters and vintage island scenes.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of handsome

Adjective

In a rare move, the chipmaker provided a revenue growth outlook for fiscal 2028 that forecast annual sales to increase 70% from the prior year.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Within the Milky Way, astronomers have so far identified roughly 100 stellar stream candidates shed by globular clusters, but finding one around another galaxy is extraordinarily rare.

— Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of rare

Adjective

Menart’s script does a fine job of building out these jagged women with a sharp eye for the growing pains of flesh-and-bones relationships born from the seed of virtual connection.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026
Synaptic purge To find out how many synapses are lost during QIH, Tanaka’s team implanted tetrodes, bundles of fine electrodes, into the hippocampus of freely moving mice.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of fine

Adjective

According to documents published by the White House, other goods subject to the tax include honey, seeds and agricultural products — as well as select makeup, perfumes, clothing, jewelry, furniture, cameras, fabric and more.

— Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
The service offers perks like cash back from select manufacturers and special discounts on specific vehicles.

— Kelsey Neubauer,Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of select

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elegant

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“Elegant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elegant. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of elegant

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