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pretty 1 of 3

adjective

ˈpri-tē How to pronounce pretty (audio)
Definition of prettynext
1
as in beautiful
very pleasing to look at a pretty young girl

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in suitable
meeting the requirements of a purpose or situation their misalliance is as pretty an example of an ill-conceived marriage as you're likely to find

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pretty

2 of 3

adverb

ˈpri-tē How to pronounce pretty (audio)
as in relatively
to some degree or extent we've had some pretty cold weather lately

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pretty

3 of 3

noun

as in looker

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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
Just eight miles from Oxford on the eastern edge of the Cotswolds, the pretty market town is lined with traditional stone cottages, old pubs and bakeries. — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 4 Sep. 2026 The La Palma Suite, where the street-level bougainvillaea ties up in a bow, might have the prettiest terrace in all Capri town with a wrap-around balcony fit for a Slim Aaron’s shoot with Jackie Kennedy. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
Adverb
Pace and Bullock still make a pretty endearing pair, especially with Kidman there to smirk knowingly at their obvious attraction. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 Following behind that model is the Tambour Spin Time Air Antipode, which shows off a pretty nifty feat. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 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
  1. beautiful
  2. nice
  3. suitable
  4. relatively
  5. looker
  6. lovely
  7. pleasant
  8. appropriate
Adjective
  • The nicest of the quartet, Springfield features a large clubhouse, a beautiful practice area with an oversized putting green and a challenging 6,906-yard course that is hilly, woody and will ask you to hit lots of precise shots.
    — Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Forests that avoid the worst fire and drought impacts should still offer beautiful color, but the viewing window may be shorter.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of beautiful
Adjective
  • There's also a small flip up carry loop, which is a nice feature for a bottle with a comparably wide diameter.
    — Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Nor are there many studios with two full baths, a nice perk owed to the combination of two apartments and potentially a key to relationship harmony in the mornings.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of nice
Adjective
  • My friend Paul Davis, the great artist and illustrator, even did an impressive painting of a rat, yet neither of us could convince our editors that this urban reality was a suitable topic for an upscale city magazine.
    — Gloria Steinem, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
  • City had intended to replace every outgoing, but in the end felt that Nico O’Reilly would be a suitable option in midfield in place of Gonzalez, as they are well stocked at left-back with Josko Gvardiol and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of suitable
Adverb
  • On closer-range shots, Brughmans often adopts a wide base with his chest slightly forward and his arms relatively low.
    — Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Nuclear power, where viable, can offer another source of relatively stable generation costs.
    — Nana Menya Ayensu, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of relatively
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
Definition of looker
Adjective
  • Food and drink Another lovely perk is your choice of breakfast from the à la carte menu at The Barn, the hotel’s more casual restaurant.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Sandy is very, very funny and smart, and Nic was just lovely.
    — Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of lovely
Adjective
  • The mood by the end of the show was something of pleasant surprise.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Leach mentioned Anderson as a pleasant surprise, with this year’s sixth-round pick getting up and down the ice well while showing some presence with the puck.
    — Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of pleasant
Adjective
  • Serious accusations must be supported by evidence and presented before the appropriate authorities, not through statements in media outlets whose content prioritises sensationalism and media exposure over accuracy and truth.
    — Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Fortum has previously said that new nuclear projects would require strong customer demand secured through long-term power purchase agreements, strategic partners, appropriate financing and risk-sharing arrangements.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of appropriate

Phrases Containing pretty

Browse Nearby Words

prettiness
pretty
pretty boy
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Cite this Entry

“Pretty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretty. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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