BEAUTIFUL Synonyms: 265 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'beautiful' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of beautiful are comely , fair , handsome , lovely , and pretty . While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," beautiful applies to whatever excites the keenest of pleasure to the senses and stirs emotion through the senses. // beautiful mountain scenery

Q: How are the words 'comely' and 'handsome' related as synonyms of 'beautiful'?

Comely is like handsome in suggesting what is coolly approved rather than emotionally responded to. // the comely grace of a dancer

Q: When can 'fair' be used instead of 'beautiful'?

The words fair and beautiful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness. // fair of face

Q: When could 'handsome' be used to replace 'beautiful'?

While in some cases nearly identical to beautiful , handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance. // a handsome Georgian mansion

Q: How do 'lovely' and 'beautiful' relate to one another?

Lovely is close to beautiful but applies to a narrower range of emotional excitation in suggesting the graceful, delicate, or exquisite. // a lovely melody

Q: In what contexts can 'pretty' take the place of 'beautiful'?

The words pretty and beautiful can be used in similar contexts, but pretty often applies to superficial or insubstantial attractiveness. // a painter of conventionally pretty scenes

beautiful

adjective

ˈbyü-ti-fəl

Definition of beautiful

as in lovely

very pleasing to look at the banquet hall was decorated with beautiful flower arrangements for the reception

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in wonderful

of the very best kind you've done a beautiful job of illustrating that children's story

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective beautiful differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of beautiful are comely, fair, handsome, lovely, and pretty. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," beautiful applies to whatever excites the keenest of pleasure to the senses and stirs emotion through the senses.

beautiful mountain scenery

How are the words comely and handsome related as synonyms of beautiful?

Comely is like handsome in suggesting what is coolly approved rather than emotionally responded to.

the comely grace of a dancer

When can fair be used instead of beautiful?

The words fair and beautiful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

When could handsome be used to replace beautiful?

While in some cases nearly identical to beautiful, handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance.

a handsome Georgian mansion

How do lovely and beautiful relate to one another?

Lovely is close to beautiful but applies to a narrower range of emotional excitation in suggesting the graceful, delicate, or exquisite.

a lovely melody

In what contexts can pretty take the place of beautiful?

The words pretty and beautiful can be used in similar contexts, but pretty often applies to superficial or insubstantial attractiveness.

a painter of conventionally pretty scenes

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 beautiful It was named for the Peruvian competitor in the inaugural Miss Universe Competition in 1952, Ada Gabriela Bueno Böttger, and that fits—the cocktail is, beyond being Peruvian, floral, feminine, and beautiful. — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026 Or these long conversations out in a beautiful setting, totally undistracted and uninterrupted. — Matt Moret, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026 For the past few years, Tiki Oasis has been taking over the Town and Country Resort — a beautiful, 23-acre resort in the heart of San Diego’s Mission Valley. — Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026 But an outdoor garden, no matter how beautiful and lovingly designed or how innovatively used in the menu, is susceptible to the whims of Miami’s humid, rainy, extraordinarily lengthy summers. — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beautiful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for beautiful

Adjective

The bathroom is lovely with deep red marble tiling, a large tub, and views over the beach.

— Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
Have a lovely weekend all and enjoy these last few weeks of August!

— Sam Woodward, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of lovely

Adjective

Over the course of about a half hour on stage, Shonen Knife fed their Ramones like punk sensibility through a Beach Boys lens, producing a unique brand of jangly, melodic, hooky punk rock complete with gorgeous live harmonies.

— Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
One of the most gorgeous haunts in San Francisco is becoming a pretty good place to just gorge.

— John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of gorgeous

Adjective

Fjord, Cristian Mungiu’s legal thriller starring podcast favorite Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan; Hope, an action film starring Squid Game breakout Hoyeon; and Gentle Monster, led by an excellent Léa Seydoux.

— Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
Servite 0-1 (62) The Friars lost to an excellent Centennial of Corona team, 41-21, in Rick Garretson’s first game as Servite’s head coach.

— Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of excellent

Adjective

Flynn delivers a knockout twist midway through this thriller about a picture-perfect young woman who has presumably been killed by her handsome husband.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 20 Aug. 2026
Both variants are available in handsome Pearl and Onyx finishes – but the Kickstarter exclusive Ember (a vibrant reddish orange) variant with 12GB RAM looks especially hot.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of handsome

Adjective

Rivera-Vega is suspected of setting the fire and also had been charged with arson causing great bodiliy injury before the woman died.

— Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2026
Starting the election calendar in South Carolina is intended in part to give Black voters a greater voice at the outset of the nominating process.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of great

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beautifies

beautiful

beautifully

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“Beautiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beautiful. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of beautiful

adjective

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