1
as in elegance
dignified or restrained beauty of form, appearance, or style
a modern-style addition that detracts from the handsomeness of that neoclassic building
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beauty
the qualities in a person or thing that as a whole give pleasure to the senses
she never had noticed his handsomeness until he got a more becoming haircut
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 handsomeness
Casting two of the most smoldering contemporary actors on the planet clearly stacks the deck, and carries on the long tradition of pairing a dashing figure of brooding handsomeness (Laurence Olivier, Ralph Fiennes) with a breathless screen beauty (Merle Oberon, Juliette Binoche).
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Its unique exterior styling attracts attention, not from being gawdy or flashy but from bold handsomeness.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2025
Both were a byword, too, for male beauty, fully alive to the almost laughable impact of their handsomeness, yet ill at ease, now and then, with their perches on the pedestal.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Caught Stealing showcases the first time in his adult career that Butler appears truly comfortable using his natural handsomeness and charisma to his advantage on screen.
—Esther Zuckerman, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
Stamp retained his looks as the years ticked by, his natural handsomeness hardened by a more grizzled look.
—Pan Pylas, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Its unique exterior styling attracts attention, not from being gawdy or flashy but from bold handsomeness.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2025
Both were a byword, too, for male beauty, fully alive to the almost laughable impact of their handsomeness, yet ill at ease, now and then, with their perches on the pedestal.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Caught Stealing showcases the first time in his adult career that Butler appears truly comfortable using his natural handsomeness and charisma to his advantage on screen.
—Esther Zuckerman, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
Stamp retained his looks as the years ticked by, his natural handsomeness hardened by a more grizzled look.
—Pan Pylas, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handsomeness
Noun
-
After the opening of their downtown Bleecker Street location, this move uptown feels like a natural evolution—bridging easygoing California elegance with a sense of East Coast prim and polish.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Nothing says easy elegance quite like a French manicure.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That’s the beauty of capitalism.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The best Korean lip tints are—and have been—at the top of their game, and as a beauty editor who almost exclusively wears them, this story practically writes itself.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
After a busy afternoon visiting with the prime minister of Canada, his majesty jumped behind the decks to try his hand at spinning music at a Kings Trust event in Manchester.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Come for the gothic majesty, stay for Elordi’s stunning and emotive performance as the Creature tries to be human in an inhuman world.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Questions have been raised about the attractiveness of the region as a location for Big Tech investments after Iran targeted an Amazon data center in the country, disrupting cloud services.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Will Arnett appears in the last two episodes as an unorthodox — think Judd Hirsch in Ordinary People, only less Jewish — New York City shrink whose attractiveness everybody randomly comments on, almost-but-not-quite saving the urban portions of those episodes.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Ca$ino, which feels like a difficult yet necessary transition out of The Melodic Blue and lacks that album’s easy gracefulness, may not yield an immediate answer.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
23 Feb. 2026
-
In those moments, though, there's just a gracefulness in the world.—
Megan Spurrell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handsomeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handsomeness. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
