1
as in dude
a man extremely interested in his clothing and personal appearance
a downtown dance club with lots of pretty boys in attendance
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stud
a physically attractive man
as a musical performer, he has yet to prove that he's more than just another pretty boy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pretty boy
Melvin Combs, the dark-skinned, pretty boy with the toothy, megawatt smile, was a co-conspirator in a case that would send some members of his crew to prison for up to 12 years.
—
Aliya S. King, VIBE.com, 6 Dec. 2025
This was the last time Leo would try to headline a big-budget movie still looking like the pretty boy of Titanic; after this, his next four films were for either Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Also, why is arthouse pretty boy Louis Garrel, who portrays the leader of a resistance group known as Breakwalls (That’s seriously their name.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
At Hartford Stage, Rafael Jordan plays Sterling as a smooth-talking pretty boy who seems unwilling to get his hands dirty.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2025
Scott’s Tom Ripley was a clean break from that of Matt Damon; instead of a petulant pretty boy seized by envy and lust, this Ripley was older (Scott is in his late forties) and scarier, a lonesome manipulator with a murderous gleam in his eye.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
How to adopt: Interested adopters can meet pretty boy Pepper at the Arizona Humane Society’s South Mountain location.
—The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 21 Jan. 2023
John Boyega plays Dahomey’s young king, Ghezo, a benevolent if somewhat pretty boy leader who takes on soft diplomacy while deploying his Agojie to collect the heads of his enemies.
—Tribune News Service, cleveland, 16 Sep. 2022
To compare his 1955 Newman, a pretty boy whose smile is a quick squiggle, with the Newman of 2002, his features still handsome but etched by the passage of a half-century, is an epitome in two drawings of Hirschfeld’s art.
—Terry Teachout, WSJ, 6 Apr. 2021
Aliya S. King, VIBE.com, 6 Dec. 2025
This was the last time Leo would try to headline a big-budget movie still looking like the pretty boy of Titanic; after this, his next four films were for either Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Also, why is arthouse pretty boy Louis Garrel, who portrays the leader of a resistance group known as Breakwalls (That’s seriously their name.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
At Hartford Stage, Rafael Jordan plays Sterling as a smooth-talking pretty boy who seems unwilling to get his hands dirty.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2025
Scott’s Tom Ripley was a clean break from that of Matt Damon; instead of a petulant pretty boy seized by envy and lust, this Ripley was older (Scott is in his late forties) and scarier, a lonesome manipulator with a murderous gleam in his eye.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
How to adopt: Interested adopters can meet pretty boy Pepper at the Arizona Humane Society’s South Mountain location.
—The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 21 Jan. 2023
John Boyega plays Dahomey’s young king, Ghezo, a benevolent if somewhat pretty boy leader who takes on soft diplomacy while deploying his Agojie to collect the heads of his enemies.
—Tribune News Service, cleveland, 16 Sep. 2022
To compare his 1955 Newman, a pretty boy whose smile is a quick squiggle, with the Newman of 2002, his features still handsome but etched by the passage of a half-century, is an epitome in two drawings of Hirschfeld’s art.
—Terry Teachout, WSJ, 6 Apr. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pretty boy
Noun
-
Just an incredible dude all around.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Look, no one is buying this book because a so-so looking white dude who’s clearly neither young nor old, wrote this thing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Similar to Berry’s clogs, these shoes are lined with statement-making studs and feature a slip-on silhouette.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Kylie also slipped on a pair of slim oval sunglasses, a few stud earrings, and wore a large diamond ring on her pinky finger.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sweeney, wearing a white archival Pierre Cardin dress, also made her way to her own seat, joining her current beau, Scooter Braun, and greeting him with a quick kiss.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
8 Apr. 2026
-
After a few hours of retail therapy, head back into the city for the perfect happy hour vibe or a dinner date with just you, your beau or a group at the historic floating restaurant DiMillo’s On the Water.—
Dontaira Terrell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Past friends and former associates described him to me as an exceptionally cunning con man, a consummate charmer, and a womanizer.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
3 Apr. 2026
-
After years of being known as a womanizer, Barney settled down and married Robin in the show's final season.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The original dandy—most famously embodied by figures like Beau Brummell in 18th-century Britain—was a man whose primary purpose was to stand out by being impeccably groomed and dressed.—
Ty Gaskins,
Vogue,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Buy the Book From Beau Brummell to Emily Adams Bode, The Men’s Fashion Book documents over 200 years of fashion history by spotlighting the people and brands that have shaped the world of menswear.—
WSJ,
WSJ,
1 Oct. 2021
Noun
-
Keeping the mayor in charge of how this city is run is sort of like letting the fox run the henhouse.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Tumble Leaf' Told in an enchanting stop-motion style, Tumble Leaf is about Fig the fox and his friends, who spend all day playing and learning.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This recipe relies on a cheesy boost of flavor with a generous amount of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese folded into the meatballs and a hunk of the cheese rind added to the broth for more umami depth.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
And perhaps this whole saga illuminates another reason why voters prefer to make young hunks wait until their late 30s, as Jordan did, to get their Oscar — to teach them humility.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This weekend, fans will also get an eyeful during the NBA All-Star Weekend.—
Contessa Brewer,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The View producer Brian Teta got an eyeful — as did viewers at home — when three cohosts motioned toward their privates during a discussion about childbirth.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pretty boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pretty%20boy. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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