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a beautiful day
a perfect day
a gorgeous day
a nice day
a pretty day
beautiful music
elegant music
pleasant music
pretty music
lovely music
wonderful music
beautiful eyes
amazing eyes
pretty eyes
beautiful scenery
picturesque scenery
pristine scenery
spectacular scenery
breathtaking scenery
exquisite scenery
a beautiful baby
an adorable baby
a cute baby
a precious baby
a lovely baby
a gorgeous baby

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 The kit includes everything a mom needs to create a lasting memento, including a beautiful frame. Nora Colomer, Fox News, 26 Feb. 2025 It's made up of tiny ice crystals that can transform into a variety of intricate symmetrical patterns forming a beautiful snowflake. Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2025 Listen to this article Another beautiful and sunny afternoon is expected in Central Florida on Saturday, Spectrum News 13 meteorologist Zach Covey said. Elainie Barraza, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2025 Wood has been outspoken about her struggles with eating disorders and body self-image, and spending months on end surrounded by beautiful costars in bathing suits proved a real test. Charlie Campbell / Koh Samui, TIME, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beautiful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beautiful
Adjective
  • The set features a lovely pattern of yellow and teal flowers with deep sage green leaves and detailing around the edge.
    Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Within its pages is a lovely story of the neverending struggle between security and new technology that provides a useful backdrop to current events: in particular, the Chinese hacking of the American telecommunications infrastructure.
    David G.W. Birch, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • One pole of the action is the Green Dolphin Hotel, where Hezekiah and Alec finally find a place to land, and where Hezekiah’s ability to speak Chinese, a legacy from a Chinese grandmother, endears him to the proprietor, Mr. Lao (Jason Tobin, quiet and wonderful); some Elephants are around as well.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Parker Hall The Best MagSafe Accessories for Your New iPhone The weird, wonderful world of MagSafe accessories can make your smartphone feel modular.
    Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The Knicks manufacture gorgeous offense and just yielded two All-Star starters for the first time in five decades.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
  • With gorgeous beaches, excellent cuisine, and top-notch healthcare at an affordable price point, Turkey is quickly emerging as a leader in the medical tourism industry.
    Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • With its affordable price, this coverlet is an excellent value for the quality.
    Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2025
  • Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski are excellent at carrying the ball and driving into space.
    Jay Harris, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Pair the bottoms with a cute bodysuit or match the top with skirts or shorts, and you're left with multiple outfits in one.
    Jennifer Vermeer, Travel + Leisure, 24 Feb. 2025
  • And the town of Brenham is filled with cute boutiques and restaurants.
    Cynthia Drake, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel have been awesome in Tampa Bay, though not quite to the same degree as the Florida duo.
    Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Goats, however, cannot become professors, no matter how awesome that sounds.
    Michael Freeman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The handsome toddler wore a black baseball cap, blue and burgundy vintage Philadelphia Phillies jersey, white linen pants, and vans.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Nicole and her husband, renowned plastic surgeon Ted Richardson (Maurice Johnson), are surrogate parents to Ted’s nephew, Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman), a handsome and flirty photographer whose parents died in a plane crash.
    Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Wonder also breezes in, with a billionaire’s crash landing into a swimming pool, a fabulous debut novel about womanhood and a gorgeous cookbook that celebrates California’s bounty.
    Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Then something else catches my eye: the fabulous plastic-​​bag dress from 1994, my absolute favorite piece—​and one that Appiolaza will revisit for his upcoming collection.
    Chiara Barzini, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Beautiful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beautiful. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on beautiful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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