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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
  • 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
  • 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
Adjective
  • So actually, the story can be looked at as a celebration of the fact that your disability can just be one wonderful part of you.
    Esme Mazzeo, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
  • And if your neighborhood doesn’t, start one! Start a Book or Card Club There’s so many wonderful books out there just waiting to be discussed.
    Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The 10-track album is full of gorgeous harmonies and fun, saucy funk (check the title track) that will absolutely inspire some ass-shaking, but which also feels mature and deeply considered.
    Katie Bain, Billboard, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The town is also home to several gorgeous natural preserves, a vibrant historic downtown with a shockingly robust art scene, and plenty of write-home-about dining and lodging options.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Alabama got 24 points from Mark Sears and had excellent defensive stretches but couldn’t finish.
    Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 2 Mar. 2025
  • More Deebo Samuel news: 49ers Send Star WR Deebo Samuel to Commanders in Blockbuster Trade Samuel will take his talents to the nation's capital and look to take the Commanders to the next level after an excellent year for the young Washington team.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In December 2024, the brand opened a cute hut that could have been plucked out of a Disney cartoon on the beach of the St. Regis Kanai Resort in Riviera Maya.
    Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Trendy cuffed denim and new takes on the brand’s beloved barrel jeans are in the mix, but that’s only the beginning; cute shorts, skirts, and capris are also up for grabs (and starting to sell out).
    Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Our casting isn’t awesome, our photography is flat, and our styling is missing the mark with young audiences.
    Evan Clark, WWD, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Watching top performers get away with toxic behavior drives away your other awesome team members.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The case coincides with suspicious activity occurring near the border where Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) — who used to work for the Navajo Tribal Police with Chee and Leaphorn and had a relationship with Chee — now gets drawn to cocky and handsome border agent Ivan Muños (Alex Meraz).
    Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Casting is an expensive multistep process, though, and the same factories can furnish façades for new construction by the more straightforward technique of extrusion, yielding handsome but less ornate panels.
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Mar. 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 14 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on beautiful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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