fetching
Americanadjective
adjective
-
attractively befitting
a fetching hat
-
charming
a fetching personality
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fetching
Explanation
To be fetching is to be attractive and beautitful. A fetching woman catches people's interest. When a dog fetches something, he grabs it, just like attractive sights take your interest. Fetching is a word for sights that capture your interest because of their beauty. Usually, this word applies to females: you're most likely to read about a lovely, fetching woman. A beautiful woman who everyone looks at is fetching: she grabs their attention. You could also say other things, like a gorgeous mountain or a well-designed building, are fetching if they grab your attention.
Vocabulary lists containing fetching
The Downstairs Girl
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Shakespeare Stealer
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Moon Over Manifest
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Photos seen by the BBC show a crowd of people, many of them elderly, apparently fetching fresh supplies in a city square.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
Shares now trade for 95 times expected earnings over the next 12 months, surpassing their previous peak of 60 times reached in 2021, and fetching more than Nvidia, Taiwan Semi, Broadcom, and Advanced Micro Devices.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
Through Stacy’s fetching sadness, we come to know that maybe a certain motivational speaker was right.
From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026
A fetching lass in Regency garb and her paramour, confessing his ardor.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026
But Ophie had no way of doing so when she was stuck running around all day, fetching fresh tea and sitting by Mrs. Caruthers in case she needed another log thrown on the fire.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
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.
