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 Instead, his big conversion comes later, after Rafael takes a fist to the face for dancing with a local tough guy’s comely fiancée. Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Aug. 2023 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 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
  • While at a wedding, Harry (Pascal), a handsome millionaire, starts flirting with her.
    Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 13 June 2025
  • None of that is as interesting as the romance between the novel’s poor orphan Eun-Jae and the handsome prince Yi Beon.
    Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • For starters, native plants are more attractive to pollinators, but they're also perfectly adapted to local growing conditions and will return year after year with minimal fuss.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025
  • Showcasing this kind of innovation made the company more attractive to creative and tech-savvy talent.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • This wine estate is located up a beautiful valley west of, and perpendicular to, the axis of the hills that form the Côte d’Or.
    Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
  • When the competitions began in the 1990s, judges awarded points for things like beautiful architecture and keeping costs low.
    Ryan Kellman, NPR, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • The crook of land that frames Lewes to the east, Cape Henlopen, was first spotted by European eyes in 1609 by English explorer Henry Hudson and is now a lovely state park.
    Tim Neville, Travel + Leisure, 15 June 2025
  • From its unique patterns, eye-catching color combinations and lovely add-ons (mirror work, beads and tassles), the textile enthusiast felt a strong connection to the craft of ralli.
    Sonya Rehman, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • To achieve that look, make sure your capsule wardrobe has a solid, multifunctional layer like the Madewell crochet vest tank that can be worn on top of a cute boxy T-shirt, and also by itself.
    Riana Singh, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2025
  • Related Articles Miss Manners: Another mother chided me for group-texting a cute photo.
    Eric Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • This pretty appetizer is the brain child of my friend and our Senior Food Editor Josh Miller, who is a fellow avid pool host who hates turning the oven on in the summer.
    Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 13 June 2025
  • And then, on the evening of May 4, Mars made a very close pass near the Beehive Star Cluster (M44), a very pretty sight as viewed through binoculars or a low-power, wide-field telescope.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • This wonderful, hopeful video shares the gorgeous songs of these vanishing birds.
    GrrlScientist, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • The double-height reception room and its gorgeous grand piano add a touch of drama to the living quarters while Philip Jeffries wallpaper and curated vintage furnishings bring warmth and personality to every corner.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • Yet each performance feels angled at a slightly different degree, one distinct acting turn making all the difference between a charming scoundrel, a depressed artist, a loyal sidekick, an aloof intellectual, or a precocious kid.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
  • Add a charming upgrade to wraparound porches with a rocking chair that has a roomy seat and requires minimal upkeep. Bay Isle Home Dawn 2-Person Patio Conversation Set, $213 (orig.
    Ali Faccenda, People.com, 11 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Comely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comely. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on comely

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!