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Definition of lovelynext
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lovely

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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

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
Income cap is $174,960 for a family of three and monthlies are a lovely $875. Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 30 Mar. 2026 As lovely as full moons are, for about five nights on either side of any full moon, evening stargazing is hampered by moonlight washing out the sky. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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 See All Example Sentences for lovely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lovely
Adjective
  • The teams got invaluable data — and some wonderful video too.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Books Are Magic, a wonderful bookshop owned by novelist Emma Staub, alone could suck up an entire morning.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The Inn stays shut during winter and ‘pack ice’ season, which some locals will tell you is the most beautiful time of all—for snowmobiling and snowshoeing through the Island’s interior by day, and come evening, getting invited into someone's warm shed for a tipple and a chat.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
  • So much of what Diaspora is doing is making sure that the farmers’ spices are getting to you in a beautiful, fresh state.
    Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Olivier Laxe, 114 minutes One of the best foreign films of 2025, this stunner tells the story of a father (Sergi Lopez) who searches the raves in Southern Morocco for his missing daughter.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The drop is a stunner for the shares, which have been among the steadiest in the media sector.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Apple has somehow emerged from the global hardware shortage as a value buy, with its MacBook Neo offering an excellent modern computing experience for a mere $600.
    Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Harbor locals should boast that one of the county’s singularly excellent pizzerias is in their backyard.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Louise touched her phone screen to look at the picture of Diana again—gorgeous Diana smiling into the wind, all that thick hair billowing.
    Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
  • That’s where this utterly gorgeous face-framing look comes in.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • There is one particularly inventive sequence that blends a rendering of Mario in his original 2D 8-bit form, blurry pixels and all, with the 3D beauty of the more modern iterations.
    Lindsey Bahr, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Amal Clooney, queen of classic beauty and glamour, has decided to test it out.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The fabulous staff led by John O’Brien has seven seniors, including Luke DiSilvio (University of Tampa commit), catcher Drew George, Matt Tracy (1B/C), Dylan Nguyen (2B), Harris Hadzihasanovic (P/OF), Will Mandile (P/OF) and Joe Wozniak (P/1B) leading the charge for the Pioneers.
    Brian Roach, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
  • The Pleiades are fabulous through binoculars.
    Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Best Amazon Shoes and Accessories Deals Round out your spring wardrobe with supportive shoes, cute bags, and fun accessories from brands like Brooks, Kate Spade, and Kendra Scott.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
  • In the middle of the garden is a seating area with simple but cute second-hand furniture and a three-tier stone fountain from Backyard X-Scapes on Sorrento Valley Road.
    Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lovely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lovely. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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