1
2
3
4

Try This Instead

For
Try This
a handsome face
an attractive face
a pleasing face
a lovely face
a fine face
a pretty face
a handsome profit
a hefty profit
a lovely profit
a generous profit
a healthy profit
a tidy profit
a handsome book
an attractive book
a beautiful book
a gorgeous book
an elegant book
an exquisite book

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective handsome differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of handsome are beautiful, comely, fair, lovely, and pretty. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance.

a handsome Georgian mansion

When is it sensible to use beautiful instead of handsome?

While the synonyms beautiful and handsome are close in meaning, 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?

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

the comely grace of a dancer

When could fair be used to replace handsome?

The synonyms fair and handsome are sometimes interchangeable, but fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

How do lovely and beautiful relate to one another, in the sense of handsome?

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 would pretty be a good substitute for handsome?

The words pretty and handsome 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 handsome The response has led to hundreds of comments on the post so far, as many TikTok users have praised the unexpected blending of breeds, and of course, hailed Remy for being undoubtedly handsome. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025 The dark and handsome Marinelli underwent a complete transformation, to play the brutish, balding Mussolini. Gianmaria Tammaro, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2025 If this fight with Makhachev was Moicano’s only real shot at UFC gold, the result was ugly, but the payday was handsome. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025 Powell was just recently a Golden Globe nominee for Hit Man and seems ready to reap the rewards of being handsome, funny, and successful all at the same time. Joe Reid, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for handsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handsome
Adjective
  • Photos released by the court show Kate smiling in brightly colored costumes, her hair slicked back, and her feet and arms in the studied pose of a graceful ballerina.
    Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 15 Feb. 2025
  • While the time-jumping structure can be mildly confusing at first, editor Alexandre de Franceschi establishes a graceful rhythm, keeping the transitions fluid.
    David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The homeownership gap between the two groups has seen a slight uptick since 2022, when there was only a 2.71 million difference, and the gender gap was the largest in Delaware and Connecticut, at 5.23 and 5.06 percentage points, LendingTree found.
    Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
  • The release of over 600 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel — the largest one-day prisoner release in the ceasefire’s first phase — did not occur just after the hostage releases as expected, apparently for Israeli security consultations on Saturday evening.
    WAFAA SHURAFA, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
Adjective
  • It is helped by being a sizable company with 24,000 employees and a large gas sales and trading business that accounts for about a third of the Austrian commercial market.
    Stanley Reed, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Many of the community’s prominent figures have built sizable platforms.
    David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Among the standout pieces in the second H&M spring 2025 limited-edition Ramadan collection, semi-shiny satins, jacquards and hammered fabrics add an elegant and luxurious touch.
    Julia Teti, WWD, 18 Feb. 2025
  • Its classic trim with elegant details on each door can dress up a modern interior or pair with traditional decor to elevate any space.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Approximately 30 percent of construction materials used in the U.S. are imported, per Dietz, placing a substantial financial burden on builders.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Leong, who has been deputy chairman of the since 2013, holds a substantial stake in the company.
    Jonathan Burgos, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Additionally, rising political tension in China has made investment in the country less attractive.
    John Liu, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
  • In a way, the franchise’s dismal state was one of the things Venable found attractive.
    Cody Stavenhagen, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Based on Forbes analysis of Robinhood’s market maker disclosures, considerable portions of Robinhood’s crypto trades are being sold to crypto trading hedge funds including Tai Mo Shan, Wolverine Trading and Wintermute.
    Javier Paz, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2025
  • The expectation is that next-level-down officials at CMS with more conventional Republican views may have considerable discretion running the programs.
    Peter Sullivan, Axios, 13 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Handsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handsome. Accessed 26 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on handsome

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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