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 interiors are elegant yet understated, reflecting the relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2026 Like Gerber, accessorize for elegant nights out on the town with Gucci’s iconic Jackie 1961 handbag and, for an unexpected finish, a pair of black ballet flats. — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026 Bugatti replaced much of the Bolide’s aggressive race-car bodywork with an elegant new coachbuilt shape. — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Equally as eye-catching as her dress was her hairpiece, a wreath of white hyacinth that trailed down her elegant ponytail. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elegant

Recent Examples of Synonyms for elegant

Adjective

For anyone building toward a finer piece, a moissanite tennis necklace offers a graceful starting point.

— Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
The rhyme between her graceful form and the sculpture’s anatomy underscores the clip’s unmistakably erotic frisson.

— Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 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

Flynn delivers a knockout twist midway through this thriller about a picture-perfect young woman who has presumably been killed by her handsome husband.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 20 Aug. 2026
Both variants are available in handsome Pearl and Onyx finishes – but the Kickstarter exclusive Ember (a vibrant reddish orange) variant with 12GB RAM looks especially hot.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of handsome

Adjective

The rare albino peacock that was injured during the incident in Pasadena.

— Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
In a Texas hospital this week, doctors performed a complex, high-risk, open-heart surgery on a 6-day-old boy born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare congenital condition that rendered part of his heart underdeveloped.

— Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 20 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

Browse Nearby Words

elegancy

elegant

elegantly

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“Elegant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elegant. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of elegant

adjective

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