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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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adverb

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
Arabians Tonka features notes of bergamot, amber, and rose with a pretty, sensual type of scent profile. Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 16 Feb. 2026 And things got as anxious as a guy on a first date with the prettiest girl in school. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Adverb
Certainly, Hondo looks pretty reflective and concerned in one of the first look stills as events challenge his legacy and his assumptions about authority, so sense of self. John Hopewell, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026 Always keeping it pretty profesh over on Twitter @hannahhopekirby. Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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 See All Example Sentences for pretty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretty
Adjective
  • Her elegant collaboration was a reminder that the world has long created the kinds of crises that threaten our stability today, and a good artist finds a way to make work that shows us a way through it, even if the answer is as simple as making something beautiful.
    Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Prepare for the muse to arrive in strange and beautiful ways during Pisces season.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Having a set time to do individual work has been nice.
    Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 19 Feb. 2026
  • While more attacking and midfield options are always nice, Orlando’s real problem lies in replacing key defenders who departed in the offseason.
    Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The man is facing a charge of grossly negligent homicide, with state prosecutors in Innsbruck accusing him of making multiple errors, including seeking help too late and not carrying suitable equipment.
    Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Hardie Board is available in a range of styles, including options suitable for historic homes.
    Jessica Elliott, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • That’s why the Fed’s minutes are being interpreted by many this morning as being relatively hawkish—meaning that the Federal Open Market Committee is less enthusiastic about cutting interest rates further.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
  • That’s true even when key elements of that history are relatively unknown, like that of Georgia’s blueswomen.
    DeAsia Paige, AJC.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Harry Melling is a late-blooming looker.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The more renowned the art, the greater the number of clueless lookers, joyless collectors, donors in search of tax breaks, and steroidal museums.
    Jackson Arn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • The outdoor pool is just as lovely too.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Feb. 2026
  • From the lovely greens to the steeper blues and blacks, Pleasant Mountain delivers.
    Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • What might be a pleasant wine on the ground often loses nuance or becomes imbalanced in flight since the low cabin pressure tends to mute aromas.
    Karla Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is in full bloom, and water excursions like kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling are also especially pleasant at this time of year, even if the water’s a bit chilly, at least to natives.
    Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Some growers have also started to focus more on roses that are appropriate to their local climates, Kukielski says.
    Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Observing the relationship between parental contact with their children and the payment of child support obligations, facilitate and encourage parental access and involvement (when appropriate).
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pretty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretty. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

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