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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective lovely differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of lovely are beautiful, comely, fair, handsome, and pretty. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," 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 could beautiful be used to replace lovely?

The words beautiful and lovely are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 lovely?

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

the comely grace of a dancer

When is fair a more appropriate choice than lovely?

In some situations, the words fair and lovely are roughly equivalent. However, fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

When would handsome be a good substitute for lovely?

While in some cases nearly identical to lovely, handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance.

a handsome Georgian mansion

When is it sensible to use pretty instead of lovely?

Although the words pretty and lovely have much in common, 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 lovely
Adjective
The first flowering of the reblooming variety of these perennial lovelies is in June. Erynn Hassinger, Country Living, 22 Apr. 2023 No, Colin Frissell hooking up with the three lovelies in Wisconsin. Kyle Smith, National Review, 10 Dec. 2019
Noun
Fall foliage looks lovely next to mint green leaves in a delicate white pumpkin. Savanna Bous, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2025 Polly, my lovely wife and co-writer, lyricist, ideas person and everything, was the one who put the set list together, mostly. Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lovely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lovely
Adjective
  • The film, which largely unfolds on Christmas Eve, has a wonderful sense of the dying light of a late December day, the transition from a shade of damp gray to the inky black of night, and, even better, an actual sense of a particular American place.
    Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
  • This all sounds wonderful, but for me, oil control surpasses everything.
    Lily Wohlner, Allure, 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
Noun
  • Hillside Oak, a bright four-bedroom, four-bathroom house, and the Eliot Noyes, a four-bedroom midcentury stunner with a pool, can both be booked through Marriott Bonvoy.
    Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The latest Boot Bowl, played Friday, was a stunner.
    Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Shaw and Harry Maguire were excellent.
    Mark Critchley, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
  • And this does bode well for interior roominess, which is quite accommodating up front for a variety of heights and body types—plus tremendously comfortable standard sport bucket seats with excellent bolstering.
    Peter Nelson, Forbes.com, 20 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
Noun
  • Fans at home got an eyeful as muscleman Mike Munz, vocal duo Crash Adams, acrobatic pair The TT Boys, dance act The Funkateers Dancers, singing ensemble The Birmingham Youth Fellowship Choir, and others got down to business.
    Lars Brandle, Billboard, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Get an eyeful of Davidson on The Tonight Show in the interview above.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 23 July 2025
Adjective
  • For all its grand ambitions and notable budget, The Cortège often feels like a fabulous Pinterest board come to life rather than a coherent performance.
    David Hochman, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • One of these things has intrigue, murder, thrilling cinematography, and fabulous costumes.
    Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Start with something easy, like a fridge magnet, tiny illustration, or cute DIY bookmark.
    Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Sep. 2025
  • In the song, JJ and his friends dress up in doctor, pirate, and more cute costumes.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 19 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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