Definition of felicitousnext
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

2

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 The screenplay that Gracey wrote with Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole is less felicitous. Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2024 And in one of those felicitous culinary accidents like the Toll House cookie, wound up with a gluten-free product. Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024 Pebble Beach was not a felicitous meeting of land and sea. Doug Ferguson, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 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 See All Example Sentences for felicitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for felicitous
Adjective
  • But as the evidence mounts, scientists continue to puzzle over the pleasant surprise—how are vaccines that target specific pathogens inadvertently shielding our minds from deterioration?
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
  • Last year, against the Minnesota Frost, was a bit more of a pleasant surprise after a one-goal regular season campaign by Leslie, who spent two seasons between Toronto and Ottawa as a useful depth player.
    Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • Hulse and her colleagues spent several days searching for a suitable location.
    Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
  • The city is currently planning a new clubhouse there, and recently conducted polls on suitable designs.
    Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • Continue along the roads of the peninsula, winding through vineyards and pine forests, before heading to Pampelonne Beach for a delightful leisurely seaside lunch on its fine sand.
    Nick Scott, Robb Report, 17 May 2026
  • Tucumcari’s murals, neon signs and the Blue Swallow Motel were delightful.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • Investigators said prior to his death, Noel's mother failed to give him appropriate care for issues that included chronic lung disease, pulmonary edema, and esotropia.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 16 May 2026
  • Officers have also said in Board of Correction meetings that our city should divert people with serious mental health needs into appropriate treatment, rather than relying on them to fill in for shameful gaps in our public health system.
    Jason Rodriguez, New York Daily News, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • The judge ordered that the child be called Ella instead, noting that the name Nutella was the trade name of a (frankly, delicious) spread.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
  • Guilty pleasures are one thing, but utterly delicious bits of television are something else entirely.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • The Beef star stepped out in a loose-fitting, silky matching set, which instantly turned a simple look into a refined ensemble.
    Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
  • The movie’s Spanish title could also be translated as The Thaw, as fitting and double-edged as The Meltdown, but with a slightly different slant, as in Lina’s eventual warming to Inés.
    Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • Walking between Valmiermuiža, Labietis, Taka, and Nurme makes for one of the easiest and most enjoyable beer crawls in Europe.
    Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
  • Swing bike rack is ergonomically enjoyable and performs well mechanically.
    Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 13 May 2026
Adjective
  • After all, the key to a flawless beat is proper skincare application!
    Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 14 May 2026
  • Sit down at a proper meal table (not your desk or the car), put your snack on a plate or in a bowl, and take a breath to center yourself before taking the first bite.
    Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 14 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Felicitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/felicitous. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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