LOVELY Synonyms: 286 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Some common synonyms of lovely are beautiful , comely , fair , handsome , and pretty . While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," 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: When could 'beautiful' be used to replace 'lovely'?

The words beautiful and lovely are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 'lovely'?

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

Q: When is 'fair' a more appropriate choice than 'lovely'?

In some situations, the words fair and lovely are roughly equivalent. However, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness. // fair of face

Q: When would 'handsome' be a good substitute for 'lovely'?

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

Q: When is it sensible to use 'pretty' instead of 'lovely'?

Although the words pretty and lovely have much in common, pretty often applies to superficial or insubstantial attractiveness. // a painter of conventionally pretty scenes

lovely 1 of 2

adjective

ˈləv-lē

Definition of lovely

as in wonderful

of the very best kind thanked their hosts for the lovely time they had at the party

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in beautiful

very pleasing to look at a lovely painting of young girls in their summer dresses

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lovely

2 of 2

noun

as in stunner

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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How does the adjective lovely differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of lovely are beautiful, comely, fair, handsome, and pretty. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," lovely is close to beautiful but applies to a narrower range of emotional excitation in suggesting the graceful, delicate, or exquisite.

a lovely melody

When could beautiful be used to replace lovely?

The words beautiful and lovely are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 lovely?

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

the comely grace of a dancer

When is fair a more appropriate choice than lovely?

In some situations, the words fair and lovely are roughly equivalent. However, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

When would handsome be a good substitute for lovely?

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

a handsome Georgian mansion

When is it sensible to use pretty instead of lovely?

Although the words pretty and lovely have much in common, 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 lovely

Adjective

The matching collar and cuffs that fit with the general colour scheme — lovely stuff. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 The ultra-cushioned insole keeps your feet feeling happy and looking lovely, even on a long afternoon. — Sarah Scott, Southern Living, 20 Aug. 2026

Noun

In an early scene, poor Christian attends a dating event, having gamed the system, with his perfect numerical logic, so that all the potential lovelies are lined up at his table. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 24 Apr. 2025 Serve these layered lovelies in old-fashioned glasses to make the treat extra special. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2023 See All Example Sentences for lovely

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lovely

Adjective

Nature aside, Cape Town boasts a wonderful juxtaposition of old world architecture and contemporary design across its vibrant neighborhoods.

— Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Aug. 2026
Both films had wonderful ensembles, ingenious writing and an unmistakable sense of occasion.

— Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of wonderful

Adjective

Arguably, the most beautiful version of this trend right now is the love-layers cut.

— Lucy Binder, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2026
The meltwater pouring off Bråsvellbreen like waterfalls, though breathtakingly beautiful, was another sobering reminder of the consequences of global warming.

— Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of beautiful

Noun

Custer State Park, easily mistaken for a national park, is a stunner for fall color and wildlife.

— Taryn Shorr-Mckee, Midwest Living, 26 Aug. 2026
And that set the stage for a stunner and a 1-0 loss to the Pirates when Mason Miller allowed his first home run in more than a calendar year.

— Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of stunner

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

My suite was on the second floor and included a separate living room and a gorgeous sun room with the best views in the house.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
This past week saw the release of nearly half an hour of gorgeous gameplay from Grand Theft Auto 6, followed by a number of interviews and features about aspects of the game.

— Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of gorgeous

Noun

This paradox—a longing for beauty to be distributed equally, even though it cannot be diluted for ease of distribution, and might even require rarity—is why the period continues to fascinate me.

— Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
The Birth of Products for Black Hair From its inception around the turn of the 20th century, commercial Black hair care has been a response to the lack of options on mainstream beauty shelves.

— Ava Welsing-Kitcher, Allure, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of beauty

Adjective

But don’t let the cute style fool you—this look is super practical, too.

— Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026
Continue down Main Street in Catskill to find tons of the cute shops upstate New York is known for, in particular Stay Forever for gifts, Spike’s for records, and Magpie for used books.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of cute

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loveliness

lovely

lovemaking

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“Lovely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lovely. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of lovely

adjective

noun

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