pretty 1 of 3

1
2
as in nice
giving pleasure or contentment to the mind or senses she was not a pretty sight after she fell off her horse and into the mud

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

pretty

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adverb

pretty

3 of 3

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective pretty differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of pretty are beautiful, comely, fair, handsome, and lovely. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," pretty often applies to superficial or insubstantial attractiveness.

a painter of conventionally pretty scenes

When is beautiful a more appropriate choice than pretty?

The words beautiful and pretty can be used in similar contexts, but beautiful applies to whatever excites the keenest of pleasure to the senses and stirs emotion through the senses.

beautiful mountain scenery

How do comely and handsome relate to one another, in the sense of pretty?

Comely is like handsome in suggesting what is coolly approved rather than emotionally responded to.

the comely grace of a dancer

Where would fair be a reasonable alternative to pretty?

In some situations, the words fair and pretty are roughly equivalent. However, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

When might handsome be a better fit than pretty?

While in some cases nearly identical to pretty, handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance.

a handsome Georgian mansion

How are the words lovely and beautiful related as synonyms of pretty?

Lovely is close to beautiful but applies to a narrower range of emotional excitation in suggesting the graceful, delicate, or exquisite.

a lovely melody

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 pretty
Adjective
From Saturday, March 1, to Saturday, April 12, 2025 pretty Venus goes retrograde. Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, 28 Feb. 2025 Situated in the scenic village of Alfriston, the hotel is surrounded by a bustling community famed for throwing fetes and fayres on the ‘Tye’ (the village green), the sweeping South Downs National Park and chocolate-box-pretty pubs. Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
Adverb
And nice pretty swing to get the ball out of the ballpark. Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025 These images aren’t much prettier. Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
Cubs president Jed Hoyer traded a pretty good prospect for one year of Kyle Tucker. Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2025 More than just pretty light shows For satellites, navigation systems and communication technologies, these geomagnetic storms can be quite the headache. Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pretty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretty
Adjective
  • Then something really beautiful happens.
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The fish was a beautiful, rich color and had great flavor, but the pieces were uneven in shape and size, with some of them clearly cut from the center of the fish and some from the thinner ends.
    Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Located in historic downtown Gainesville, the Victorian complex is a nice breather before and after the intensity of game day in Gainesville, and the drive to the stadium is less than 10 minutes.
    Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Napheesa will probably sit this one out, but Bryce still has time to send his commish a nice greeting card.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • There’s also a special Family Series that’s suitable to attendees of all ages.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Typical seats were replaced with moveable chairs and desks that were suitable but also atypical to Major League setups.
    Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • On a recent trip to West Virginia, a reporter saw numerous roundabouts in relatively high traffic areas that appeared to lack infrastructure geared toward pedestrian safety.
    Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Despite sustaining some minor injuries — Ethan sustained several cuts, scrapes and bruises while Brandon sustained a small burn on his forehead and scarring on his hands — the pair escaped relatively unscathed, physically.
    Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Music aside, Stone Groove Stillhouse is quite the looker.
    Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 29 July 2025
  • David Hockney is a good looker.
    Dodie Kazanjian, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Melvin is a lovely, lovely bloke.
    Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The movie’s loveliest section is when Abslam starts to see her with new eyes, admiring her resourcefulness as a gentle romance blooms.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Has a creamy taste that most people find pleasant.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 28 Sep. 2025
  • While the flavor of this bread did not overwhelm our editors, many commented on the pleasant texture, making this store brand from ALDI a great option as the base for a sandwich or recipe.
    Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The agency later stated the animal was in good health, stress-free and receiving appropriate care from her handlers.
    Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
  • And, restoring and maintaining the health of Florida’s 1,100 springs will require further study to tailor appropriate interventions to each one.
    Christopher F. Meindl, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pretty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretty. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

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