as in nicely
in a pleasing way
we were pleasantly surprised by their offer to put us up for the night
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of pleasantly
The forecast finally clears out and remains pleasantly mild Sunday, into Monday of next week.
—
Cutter Martin, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
As Venus and Uranus harmonize, a heartfelt gesture takes you pleasantly off guard.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Estrada has been pleasantly surprised by how the event naturally lends itself to socializing.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
On and off the field, Herrington has pleasantly surprised as one of the additions to the 2026 team with a headspace well beyond his years.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2026
Those who enjoy beer, wine, and cocktails will be pleasantly surprised by what the region has in store.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
The mattress is constructed from bamboo memory foam with five distinct layers that adapt and mold to your body shape, resulting in a sleep experience that is both very supportive and pleasantly soft.
—Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2026
About 50 miles outside of Manhattan and abutting the pleasantly low-key Rockrimmon Country Club, the epic 270-acre Stamford spread spans 18 tax parcels that straddle the border between New York and Connecticut with about 95 acres in the Constitution State and 173 acres in the Empire State.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 18 Feb. 2026
Boardwalk trails zig to a marsh overlook, zagging back to a museum that pleasantly distracts the kids.
—Outside, 17 Feb. 2026
Cutter Martin, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
As Venus and Uranus harmonize, a heartfelt gesture takes you pleasantly off guard.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Estrada has been pleasantly surprised by how the event naturally lends itself to socializing.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
On and off the field, Herrington has pleasantly surprised as one of the additions to the 2026 team with a headspace well beyond his years.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2026
Those who enjoy beer, wine, and cocktails will be pleasantly surprised by what the region has in store.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
The mattress is constructed from bamboo memory foam with five distinct layers that adapt and mold to your body shape, resulting in a sleep experience that is both very supportive and pleasantly soft.
—Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2026
About 50 miles outside of Manhattan and abutting the pleasantly low-key Rockrimmon Country Club, the epic 270-acre Stamford spread spans 18 tax parcels that straddle the border between New York and Connecticut with about 95 acres in the Constitution State and 173 acres in the Empire State.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 18 Feb. 2026
Boardwalk trails zig to a marsh overlook, zagging back to a museum that pleasantly distracts the kids.
—Outside, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantly
Adverb
-
So disguised as a beggar, Odysseus shows up at his palace, and he is not treated very nicely by the suitors who have camped out in his house.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
For Homer, the case is coming together nicely and straightforwardly.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The fragrance is tantalizing and the sweet and tart flavors balance deliciously, along with spicy heat.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Players change their mind on a dime, making the roundtables both deliciously dramatic and kind of annoying.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
In typical provincial fashion, these four days of festivities include crafts, great food, bluegrass music, and an opportunity to visit sugar camps, where sap is boiled down into delightfully rich syrup.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
-
While some guests dig into stats and delightfully wonky debates (best Reds clutch hitter of all time, for example), Greiner and Freking also steer the conversation to topics any fan can appreciate – like ballpark food favorites and spirited discussions about the best baseball movie ever made.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Part of what made this Lions offense great in past seasons was the combination of Gibbs and David Montgomery.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
These should be great longer-term entry points.—
Jay Woods,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
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,
Literary Hub,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Rachel Sennott enjoyably cameos as a version of herself who’s a Charli frenemy.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
As more observations are collected, those uncertainties shrink, allowing scientists to better understand the object’s true path through space.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Kelly Clarkson Home Valentin Striped Indoor/Outdoor Area Rug Powerloomed for durability, this low-pile rug works well both outdoors on a patio or indoors in high-traffic areas like mudrooms.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Her trick is to finely chop the ginger, instead of grating it, so there are spicy-sweet nubs in each bite.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Once established, queen of the prairie produces masses of fragrant, pale pink flower heads throughout the summer, along with bright green, finely cut foliage that's resistant to hungry deer.—
Lynn McAlpine,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Jothan seemed agreeably nerdy—less astro-jazzman than small-town postal clerk—but his attempt at reassurance backfired.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantly. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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