1
as in pleasant
giving pleasure or contentment to the mind or senses a felicitous accompaniment to dinner is provided by a pianist on weekends at the restaurant

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective felicitous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of felicitous are appropriate, apt, fitting, fit, happy, meet, proper, and suitable. While all these words mean "right with respect to some end, need, use, or circumstance," felicitous suggests an aptness that is opportune, telling, or graceful.

a felicitous phrase

When is appropriate a more appropriate choice than felicitous?

While in some cases nearly identical to felicitous, appropriate implies eminent or distinctive fitness.

an appropriate gift

When might apt be a better fit than felicitous?

Although the words apt and felicitous have much in common, apt connotes a fitness marked by nicety and discrimination.

apt quotations

When would fit be a good substitute for felicitous?

The meanings of fit and felicitous largely overlap; however, fit stresses adaptability and sometimes special readiness for use or action.

fit for battle

When could fitting be used to replace felicitous?

In some situations, the words fitting and felicitous are roughly equivalent. However, fitting implies harmony of mood or tone.

a fitting end

Where would happy be a reasonable alternative to felicitous?

While the synonyms happy and felicitous are close in meaning, happy suggests what is effectively or successfully appropriate.

a happy choice of words

When is it sensible to use meet instead of felicitous?

The words meet and felicitous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, meet suggests a just proportioning.

meet payment

When can proper be used instead of felicitous?

The synonyms proper and felicitous are sometimes interchangeable, but proper suggests a suitability through essential nature or accordance with custom.

proper acknowledgement

In what contexts can suitable take the place of felicitous?

The words suitable and felicitous can be used in similar contexts, but suitable implies an answering to requirements or demands.

clothes suitable for camping

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 felicitous That breadth is a felicitous analog to the roaming comedy of the script. Scott Hocker, theweek, 5 Jan. 2024 Ellis-Bextor now joins Kate Bush in the league of criminally underrated British singers who have received a late-career reappraisal thanks to a felicitous TV or film sync. Vulture, 11 Jan. 2024 A couple of bright, shining hours can endow a day with a felicitous look and feel. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 23 Dec. 2023 The sporty coupe burbles, crackles and pops with each downshift, a felicitous experience for driver and passenger alike. Morgan Korn, ABC News, 9 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for felicitous 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for felicitous
Adjective
  • February 9, 1893: With pure, vigorous blood coursing through the veins and animating every fiber of the body, cold weather is not only endurance but pleasant and agreeable.
    Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
  • Create a pleasant silhouette by accentuating the waist and tailoring the midriff.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Democrats gave lengthy speeches lasting 30 hours outlining why Vought is not suitable for the role in an attempt to hinder the confirmation process.
    Ewan Palmer, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Most highball glasses are not suitable for hot drinks.
    BestReviews, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Coastal Mississippi is constantly surprising us, but one of its most delightful surprises is the fact that some of its beaches have white sand that rivals even Florida’s top spots.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2025
  • As always, British television is delightful and very confusing.
    Alice Burton, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Massey added that while each environment has to feel specific and appropriate, there’s also an overall cohesion to the soundscape that must be maintained.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Editor’s picks Pointing to West’s promotion in the leadup to his upcoming album Bully, Doe’s lawyers call the title appropriate.
    Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Packed with electrolytes and nutrients, Vita Coco Coconut Water elevates smoothies by providing a delicious, functional alternative to traditional bases like dairy or juice.
    Tracy Yochum, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2025
  • Architecture aside, the cuisine (from hush puppies to delicious seafood and soul food), spooky ghost tours, and beach proximity make Charleston, South Carolina the place to be in spring and summer.
    Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Dog folk often call Westminster the Super Bowl of dog shows, and the comparison might be especially fitting this year.
    Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025
  • This game may offer him the chance to cap off his career with a second championship, a fitting send-off after a remarkable 15-season tenure.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Like any other law enforcement agency, ICE must check in, show identification, and present proper documentation before taking any action on our campuses.
    Christina Shaw, Fox News, 6 Feb. 2025
  • Lawmakers from Trump’s party have acceded to his demands to unilaterally cut spending and fire government watchdogs without proper notice.
    Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • At a 35% discount, this is a can't-miss kind of deal for such an aesthetically pleasing smart home hub in orb form.
    John Mihaly, PCMAG, 15 Feb. 2025
  • Fruit not outwardly aesthetically pleasing — misshapen or greenish — is removed by hand and sold elsewhere to become juice.
    Jack Randall, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Felicitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/felicitous. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

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