as in nicely
in a pleasing way
we were pleasantly surprised by their offer to put us up for the night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 pleasantly
Clausen Kosher Dill Spears Many tasters felt this pickle was pleasantly salty, with a milder dill taste.
—
Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
Feig seems lost in pleasantly tipsy thought for a split second.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
Travelers looking to break up a day of surf and sand will be pleasantly surprised to learn the island has plenty to see and do away from the shore.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2025
Whether Goldstein is tracking down the victims of a bank robbery from more than 30 years ago or figuring out why a homecoming queen lost her title at the last minute, Heavyweight is both pleasantly familiar and invigorating; the two-year period away has only reaffirmed it as a standout listen.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
These queries were also structured to measure psychological flow, a term for the feeling someone has while pleasantly focused on an activity.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Dec. 2025
Diptyque Feu de Bois (Fire Wood) Scented Candle Visiting a friend recently, I was greeted by a pleasantly warm, woody, and smoky scent in the air.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
The interiors are finished in wood and look pleasantly minimalist.
—New Atlas, 4 Dec. 2025
His closing joke, which includes a Taylor Swift song that feels pleasantly incongruous with the rest of Maron’s persona, builds to a surprisingly hopeful ending while still being a joke about Maron’s acceptance of death.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
Feig seems lost in pleasantly tipsy thought for a split second.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
Travelers looking to break up a day of surf and sand will be pleasantly surprised to learn the island has plenty to see and do away from the shore.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2025
Whether Goldstein is tracking down the victims of a bank robbery from more than 30 years ago or figuring out why a homecoming queen lost her title at the last minute, Heavyweight is both pleasantly familiar and invigorating; the two-year period away has only reaffirmed it as a standout listen.
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
These queries were also structured to measure psychological flow, a term for the feeling someone has while pleasantly focused on an activity.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Dec. 2025
Diptyque Feu de Bois (Fire Wood) Scented Candle Visiting a friend recently, I was greeted by a pleasantly warm, woody, and smoky scent in the air.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025
The interiors are finished in wood and look pleasantly minimalist.
—New Atlas, 4 Dec. 2025
His closing joke, which includes a Taylor Swift song that feels pleasantly incongruous with the rest of Maron’s persona, builds to a surprisingly hopeful ending while still being a joke about Maron’s acceptance of death.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantly
Adverb
-
Other reviewers appreciate the sweater’s relaxed silhouette that drapes nicely without looking baggy.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Inside you’ll find a tasteful palette of light woods and maritime colors––sand, coral, azure––that nicely complement the drama seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows.—
Jesse Ashlock,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
But for the two-hour show’s climax, stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo veered deliciously off-topic to cover a medley of songs first made famous 62 years ago by Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
-
So how did the beloved brand land on something so deliciously Southern for their newest flavor?—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Per Sē contrasts the delightfully retro, lipstick-y aroma of orris butter with a fresh, fizzing swell of aldehydes, pink pepper, and bamboo.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Directive 8020 Watch On Speaking of atmospheric, Directive 8020 looks like a delightfully gruesome addition to the space horror games line-up.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
The sweater is thin and worked great when layered over a T-shirt during 60-degree Fahrenheit days.—
Kevin Gray,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Dec. 2025
-
Reuters — Lionel Messi’s tour of India kicked off chaotically on Saturday as fans threw objects, ripped up seats and invaded the pitch at Kolkata’s Salt Lake stadium after the Argentine soccer great made only a brief appearance at a ticketed event.—
Reuters 23 hr ago,
CNN Money,
14 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
Newton is underused but enjoyably game, and Zahn emerges as a surprise scene-stealer.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Dec. 2025
-
To that end, here’s a selection of the best (and most enjoyably bad) literary film and TV coming to streaming services this month.—
Emily Temple
September 30,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Strength, endurance, agility and mental toughness are tested in constantly changing combinations designed to reward the most well-rounded performers.—
NWA Democrat-Gazette,
Arkansas Online,
10 Nov. 2025
-
In Southern cuisine, a main dish is best complemented by a host of incredible side dishes.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
The food processor is a great shortcut to finely chopping your walnuts.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Set in the near future, these finely wrought stories examine lives and relationships amid climate change and technological innovation.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
But despite Harrelson and Marsden’s agreeably give-’em-hell performances, Shock and Awe suffers in comparison not just to All the President’s Men but to 2017’s The Post.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
16 Dec. 2025
-
Hitchcock & Herrmann — the alliteration rolls off the tongue almost as agreeably as the collaboration between Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann came to fruition in the 1950s and ’60s.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantly. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share