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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 And this smells almost identical, except somehow way more elegant. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025 In just 25 minutes—and with only six main ingredients—this pasta delivers a breezy, elegant supper that feels both simple and sophisticated. Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2025 The pair dressed up to the nines for the occasion, with Sperry, 32, wearing an elegant light pink Monique Lhuillier gown with a low-plunging back that draped to the floor and pooled around her feet. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 11 Sep. 2025 The gold finish on the body of the lamp brings even more glitzy tones to this elegant piece. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for elegant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elegant
Adjective
  • From romantic florals to elegant damasks and bucolic toile scenes, old-world wallpaper is making a grand and graceful return.
    Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2025
  • That honest, messy middle—where ambition meets uncertainty and growth doesn’t always look graceful—has been essential in making Issa’s work so resonant and enduring.
    Essence, Essence, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Pieces includes such exquisite gemstones as a 79 carat aquamarine, pink sapphires, tsavorites, cabochon rubellites and diamonds.
    Kyle Roderick, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The rapper donned an exquisite gown by Gianni Versace sourced from Timeless Vixen, based in Beverly Hills, California.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 8 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
  • About 18 vehicles, including a number of rare barn find cars, were auctioned from the collection.
    Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • That kind of attention feels rare now.
    Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The sharp-yet-flexible points and buildable tint leave behind a trio of micro-fine strokes that, when brushed along your arches, blend seamlessly with your natural hairs.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Before all that happened, though, there was the eight-course dinner, which went totally fine as predicted.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The corporations’ participation was originally limited to a select set of crops, such as tomatoes.
    Max Blau, ProPublica, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Several internet companies offer fiber-optic service in select regions.
    Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on elegant

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