Definition of prettynext
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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

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pretty

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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
Named for feudal landlords, Zamindar’s focuses on pretty plating and a high quality variety of regional Indian cuisines. — Eva Flowe november 4, Charlotte Observer, 4 Nov. 2026 These colorful summer flowers evolve into the perfect color for fall, adding textural interest and a pretty palette of light browns and tan to the garden. — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2026
Adverb
Still, there's a pretty good reason railway crews are putting it to work. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026 Simpler, more foolproof, easy enough even for a goofus like me to make some pretty cool stuff. — David Pierce, The Verge, 7 Nov. 2026
Noun
Rounding the culinary experiences out is Pistachio, the pastel-pretty café for sweet treats and fresh coffee. — Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2025 From Saturday, March 1, to Saturday, April 12, 2025 pretty Venus goes retrograde. — Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pretty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretty
Adjective
  • After Pittsburgh failed to score during nearly 4½ straight minutes of power-play time early in the second, Gauthier beat Silovs with a beautiful no-look shot for his first goal.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Mayor Matt Mahan told the crowd that the flower is the perfect symbol for a city with a beautiful past and a bright future.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • What to do nearby Upon arrival, one of the very helpful receptionists will mark up a map with nearby sites, beaches, and restaurants worth visiting in the area and explain the best way to walk or bike there—a nice personal touch.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • This puts a nice button on Gabe preferring to get Star Baker over a handshake.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • The ability to choose between these approaches makes the K70 suitable for both regular upkeep and more comprehensive cleaning sessions.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Instead of functioning only as large electricity consumers, facilities with suitable on-site generation could potentially support the wider power system when connected to the grid.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026
Adverb
  • But despite a steep underperformance of Indian indexes over the last year — even for this year so far the key benchmarks are in the red — and the improvement in earnings growth, its valuations are still relatively higher than other emerging markets.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The goal at the time was to attract investments in what was seen as relatively low-risk, high reward technology infrastructure that would generate jobs and tax revenue.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Admired for his seriousness and for his eagerness to learn, as well as for his movie-star face and sturdy body, de Kooning was a looker in a city full of lookers.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The analysis examined how many lookers pursued both living options across 50 large metropolitan areas, as well as a national benchmark.
    — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Adjective
  • This also had a boat trip included, a lovely way to cool off after a day walking Barcelona’s lanes.
    — Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
  • This rigid, eye-catching collar makes a lovely focal point over plunging necklines and high-collar dresses alike.
    — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 2 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • Afternoons should be mild and mostly sunny, with lower humidity making outdoor plans more pleasant.
    — Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 2 Nov. 2026
  • As Los Angeles became more crowded and less pleasant a place to live, the high-handedness of Southern California developers and officialdom occasionally got those hands slapped.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The jacket comes in 10 different fall-appropriate colors, each with a contrasting plaid lining that peeks out when the cuff is turned up.
    — Kate Donovan, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2026
  • For example, a floor-only cleaning session may be appropriate for routine debris removal, while full-coverage cleaning can be selected when walls, slopes and the waterline also require attention.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pretty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretty. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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