cute
Americanadjective
-
cuter,
comparative
-
cutest
superlative
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attractive, especially in a dainty way; pleasingly pretty.
a cute child; a cute little apartment.
-
appealing and delightful; charming.
What a cute toy!
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affectedly or mincingly pretty or clever; precious.
The child has acquired some intolerably cute mannerisms.
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mentally keen; clever; shrewd.
noun
idioms
adjective
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appealing or attractive, esp in a pretty way
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informal sexually attractive
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informal affecting cleverness or prettiness
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clever; shrewd
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of cute
First recorded in 1615–25; aphetic variant of acute
Explanation
The adjective cute describes something that’s attractive in a pleasing, nonthreatening way. Things that are small or young are often described as cute, like babies, puppies, or toy fire engines. Something that’s cute is easy to like. We usually use cute to describe how something looks, like your cute smile or your cute dimples, but you can use it for anything that’s endearing or pleasing, like the boy-gets-girl ending to a romantic comedy. Cute can also refer to something that’s overly clever and a little bit fake. Don’t be too cute when you fill out a college application — the person reading it might not think it’s so funny.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It’s a cute idea, an emphatic, eye-rolling interrobang, but there isn’t any need for it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
"I'm sure he was like, 'Who is this? What do you want from me?' But it was a very cute conversation. I respect it."
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
It also lends the sandwich the air of something procured from a real cute deli, perhaps one with handwritten menu boards and expensive sparkling water.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
‘That’s going straight to my student loans. If there’s some left over, maybe a cute little shopping spree.’
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
You know,” Audrey went on, “we can help you. Maybe if you change your wardrobe. You could be really cute if you wore the right clothes. Then guys would notice you.”
From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence
He was cuter and more interesting than I expected.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Time was ticking and I wasn’t getting any younger or cuter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026
However, amid the photos of McCarthy looking completely exasperated, I tumbled down a much cuter rabbit hole this week.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2023
Oh, we’ve got to be cuter; maybe more fans will get into it.’
From Washington Post ● Mar. 31, 2023
“I woulda been cuter if you hadn’t been holding me by the scruff,” complains Inkling.
From "Invisible Inkling" by Emily Jenkins
I attended high school there and had the cutest boyfriend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
Lukas, another student, agrees and adds: "I used to be afraid of dogs, but she's the cutest thing ever."
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
And with her birthday now a full-blown event, it seems Moo-deng’s reign as Thailand’s cutest celebrity is just beginning.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2025
Bethany: Moira, is this movie theater the cutest one yet?!
From Seattle Times ● May 21, 2024
By the end of the week, the girls had managed to erect eight huts, and Taylor announced that there would be a Miss Teen Dream cutest hut contest.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
