Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective comely differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of comely are beautiful, fair, handsome, lovely, and pretty. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," comely is like handsome in suggesting what is coolly approved rather than emotionally responded to.

the comely grace of a dancer

When is it sensible to use beautiful instead of comely?

The words beautiful and comely can be used in similar contexts, but beautiful applies to whatever excites the keenest of pleasure to the senses and stirs emotion through the senses.

beautiful mountain scenery

When would fair be a good substitute for comely?

Although the words fair and comely have much in common, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

When might handsome be a better fit than comely?

In some situations, the words handsome and comely are roughly equivalent. However, handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance.

a handsome Georgian mansion

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

Lovely is close to beautiful but applies to a narrower range of emotional excitation in suggesting the graceful, delicate, or exquisite.

a lovely melody

Where would pretty be a reasonable alternative to comely?

The meanings of pretty and comely largely overlap; however, 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 comely Connecticut-raised Troy’s debut novel, Floating, imagines a dinky, dusty town in Arizona where its comely protagonist, Ruby, falls in love with her husband’s estranged, cowboy brother. Hazlitt, 4 May 2022 Chin picks up a slide in comely tones of gray, brown, and off-white. Karen Wright, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 The comely stars, who are excellent at trolling each other online, are already parents to daughters James, 4, and Inez, 2. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2019 Furthermore, the plant is topped by comely flowers, which in time proudly adorned the button-holes of no less than Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, in their day intentionally marketing the potato to a then-skeptical proletariat. Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2019 See All Example Sentences for comely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comely
Adjective
  • And part of it was that face, the sort of Adonis-like mug that tips the scales from handsome to outright pretty.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Being Birkin’s partner was an ego boost for Gainsbourg, who had never been conventionally handsome and whose heavy drinking and smoking had aged him prematurely.
    Anahid Nersessian, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Those batteries will then lead to cost, weight and material savings, creating an attractive selection of affordable, efficient new-energy vehicles, reported New Atlas.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2025
  • While the heat of a laptop is attractive, the bigger draw is the familiar scent left behind by their owner.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Derek commented that the dance was beautiful to watch and called her a breath of fresh air.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Throughout the colorful pages, each of the beautiful homes are featured along with family members.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Olivier Rousteing‘s office high atop Balmain headquarters is rich in windows — offering lovely breezes and panoramic views of Paris rooftops — but rather poor on wall space for hanging pictures.
    Miles Socha, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The easy route takes visitors along a disused rail line for a gentle jaunt in one of the Pacific Northwest's loveliest regions.
    Stacey Lastoe, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The buzzy long-sleeve shirt has a cute ribbed design, and it’s made of soft, stretchy fabric that doesn’t feel overly restrictive.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This cute camisole is perfect for lounging around or pairing with your favorite sweatpants or leggings.
    Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This may seem trivial, but Brümate’s coolers almost look too pretty to knock around, and indeed dropping them on my driveway did create some scuffs that took away from the overall sleek aesthetic.
    Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Sep. 2025
  • This pretty queen quilt bedding set from Great Bay Home is 90 inches x 90 inches and comes with two shams that are 20 inches x 26 inches.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Room for two, a supple ride, a gorgeous view over a curved hood, perfect flow of air up and over the windshield and cockpit with virtually no backsplash to disrupt pleasant conversation, and the ability at any time to experience a rush of power and speed when the moment calls.
    Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • As sociologist Mustapha Hashim Kurfi writes, in Hausa communities of northern Nigeria, calligraphy is deeply valued both as part of Islamic scholarship and as gorgeous embellishment for everything from building walls to horse blankets.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • However, this third movie found a way to pay tribute to this character in a very subtle, charming and funny way, by making references to some of her most iconic and hilarious lines, for example.
    Maelle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • These harvest additions are eye-catching by day and charming by night.
    Savanna Bous, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Comely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comely. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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