winsome

adjective

ˈwin(t)-səm How to pronounce winsome (audio)
Definition of winsomenext
1
as in cheerful
having or showing a good mood or disposition she was a bright, winsome gamine who could draw a smile out of anyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in charming
likely or intended to win one's affection in her new role, the actress again displays the winsome charm that has made her an audience favorite

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in adorable
having qualities that tend to make one loved an actress who specialized in playing winsome ingenues in romantic comedies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 winsome Each space, from the mudroom to her study, is a winsome blend of style and function—neither principle sacrificed at the altar of the other. — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2026 At 67, her winsome singing voice is remarkably unchanged from the era of big hair and dangly earrings. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026 The three previous stand-alone Tom Holland Spider-Man movie have all been critical and audience hits, and the actor has enjoyed winsome appearances in a trio of popular MCU team-up movies. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026 At the kickoff of his Land of Hope & Dreams American Tour at the Target Center March 31, Springsteen and the mighty E Street Band delivered a purposeful show stocked with serious messages, but also winsome fan favorites. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for winsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winsome
  1. cheerful
  2. charming
  3. adorable
  4. bright
  5. dear
  6. optimistic
  7. sweet
  8. beautiful
Adjective
  • The vibe is of a cheerful — very upscale — Parisian market that’s centered around a section of fruits and vegetables displayed like in a museum.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Jeon is marvelous in the role, allowing flashes of envy, resentment, and longing to surface beneath Mi-ok’s cheerful, accommodating manner without diminishing her warmth or loyalty.
    — Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheerful
Adjective
  • Gino, just downstairs from the hotel, is a charming Italian option.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026
  • It’s beautifully presented on charming floral dishware, which is the perfect echo of the gardens just beyond the porch where breakfast is served.
    — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of charming
Adjective
  • The monkeys are adorable from a distance and mischievous up close.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Simultaneously, Fumiko and Emi cross paths at the library, where the revelation that the family at least tangentially responsible for her son’s death now have an adorable little sprog of their own, threatens to send Emi into an emotional tailspin.
    — James Marsh, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of adorable
Adjective
  • An exuberant pre-dawn sky — filled with large, bright stars, a luminous crescent moon, and blue and white swirls — dominates the landscape featuring a prominent cypress tree and distant hillside village.
    — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But the only picture mode that comes close to being that bright also has a notably green bias and ramps up the fan noise to a level that almost anyone will consider intolerable.
    — M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of bright
Adjective
  • Ian McKellen is saying goodbye to his dear friend Patrick Stewart.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The attack ads that exaggerate and lie about their opponents, without mentioning their myopic support for their dear leader whose baggage has destroyed America’s standing in the world, are astounding.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of dear
Adjective
  • The character introduced as youthful comic relief became an enduring piece of the series’ optimistic picture of the future.
    — Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Historic early voting numbers across metro Atlanta counties with dense AAPI populations has leaders optimistic that the community is voting in higher numbers than previous midterm elections.
    — Riley Bunch, AJC.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of optimistic
Adjective
  • Soft, sweet and dusted with sugar, pan de muerto, the bread of the dead, is a traditional Mexican bread made for Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
    — Daniela Cintron, AJC.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Related Earlier this month, the group’s label, HYBE x Geffen, stated that Laforteza would return to the stage in January, which would be sweet timing for the Asia run.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of sweet
Adjective
  • Beyond cooking, Relota Luczo takes a shot of Furtuna Skin’s LXR06 Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil on an empty stomach each morning to maintain her beautiful skin.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Give the cake a final shake of fresh nutmeg for a beautiful presentation.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of beautiful

Browse Nearby Words

wins (back)
winsome
wins (over)
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Winsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winsome. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of satiate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All