HANDSOME Synonyms: 367 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'handsome' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of handsome are beautiful , comely , fair , lovely , and pretty . While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance. // a handsome Georgian mansion

Q: When is it sensible to use 'beautiful' instead of 'handsome'?

While the synonyms beautiful and handsome are close in meaning, beautiful applies to whatever excites the keenest of pleasure to the senses and stirs emotion through the senses. // beautiful mountain scenery

Q: How are the words 'comely' and 'handsome' related?

Comely is like handsome in suggesting what is coolly approved rather than emotionally responded to. // the comely grace of a dancer

Q: When could 'fair' be used to replace 'handsome'?

The synonyms fair and handsome are sometimes interchangeable, but fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness. // fair of face

Q: How do 'lovely' and 'beautiful' relate to one another, in the sense of 'handsome'?

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

Q: When would 'pretty' be a good substitute for 'handsome'?

The words pretty and handsome can be used in similar contexts, but pretty often applies to superficial or insubstantial attractiveness. // a painter of conventionally pretty scenes

handsome

adjective

ˈhan(t)-səm

Definition of handsome

as in beautiful

very pleasing to look at a handsome man with finely chiseled features

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in graceful

having or showing elegance the glass-topped table was a handsome addition to the room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in large

of a size greater than average of its kind earns a handsome salary as senior vice president of the firm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sizable

sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention real estate developers realized a handsome profit on that deal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective handsome differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of handsome are beautiful, comely, fair, lovely, and pretty. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance.

a handsome Georgian mansion

When is it sensible to use beautiful instead of handsome?

While the synonyms beautiful and handsome are close in meaning, 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?

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

the comely grace of a dancer

When could fair be used to replace handsome?

The synonyms fair and handsome are sometimes interchangeable, but fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.

fair of face

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

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 would pretty be a good substitute for handsome?

The words pretty and handsome can be used in similar contexts, but 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 handsome Elsewhere, dark-wood bas reliefs and miles of Norwegian green marble (Enigma Verde Lapponia) are the handsome hallmarks of design studio Autoban (famous for London’s Duck & Rice and Baku airport’s extraordinary makeover). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026 Alessi 5009/15 Bottle Coaster Looking for a handsome housewarming gift? — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2026 She is being treated for allergic rhinitis, which immediately becomes a non-issue when her handsome classmate Hayase (Toharu Ogawa) appears beside her, ready to be administered a similar treatment. — James Marsh, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 Just Douglas padding around in his socks, still as slim, handsome, and charming as ever. — Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handsome

Recent Examples of Synonyms for handsome

Adjective

The Panthers set up 48 yards from pay dirt and then, a handful of plays later, Young placed a beautiful pass into the hands of a wide-open Tommy Tremble for a touchdown — and also placed the nail in the game’s proverbial coffin.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2026
About half of Faux’s dining room, on my visits, seemed to be occupied by the young and beautiful, perhaps strategizing, over moules bouillabaisse, when to move the party to the bar downstairs.

— Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of beautiful

Adjective

The brusque treatment of an executive of Bajaria’s stature is a sign that no one is safe from scrutiny, and no one should ever count on making a graceful exit.

— Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
Minervini calmed down from there, delivering a more graceful goodbye.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of graceful

Adjective

In Lyon, France's third-largest city where about 20,000 protesters joined the march, a fire broke out inside a tourist office.

— SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
El-Sayed’s primary challenger, Haley Stevens, who of course lost to El-Sayed, did carry Michael counties with large Black populations.

— NBC news, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of large

Adjective

That competitiveness, along with California’s sizable cache of electoral votes, helped boost Reagan’s political standing nationally.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
According to Campbell, the new company comes with a sizeable capital injection and will acquire IP, develop original and adapted material, finance productions, and produce content for film, TV and other media platforms.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of sizable

Adjective

Cam, Aneha, Malaine Once again, a rizzless man is empowered to choose between two attractive women.

— Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
The recent volatility in the equity markets has created some potentially attractive opportunities for investors willing to look past near-term choppiness.

— Nick Wells, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of attractive

Adjective

Signs of this history were on display amid all the adventurous modern art that made Mandell’s home seem like an elegant, circus-like wonderland.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Her elegant primary bedroom boasted a dressing area that was the picture of ’40s-movie-star luxury, complete with plush rugs, dramatic arches, and, of course, plenty of mirrors.

— Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of elegant

Adjective

For a complicated model with multiple color changes, the waste can become substantial.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
Its existing capabilities provide a starting point for the conversion, although the transport configuration cannot perform the new mission without substantial modifications.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of substantial

Adjective

Yet the combination of grievance politics, inter-generational unfairness and an inescapable sense of decline is what makes France feel so fragile despite its size and its still considerable strengths.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Although the test demonstrated remote connectivity and control over a considerable distance, the Navy did not report an autonomous flight, aerial refueling operation, or carrier landing as part of this event.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of considerable

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hands-off

handsome

handsomely

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“Handsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handsome. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of handsome

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