handsome
Americanadjective
-
having an attractive, well-proportioned, and imposing appearance suggestive of health and strength; good-looking.
a handsome man;
a handsome woman.
- Antonyms:
- ugly
-
having pleasing proportions, relationships, or arrangements, as of shapes, forms, or colors; attractive.
a handsome house;
a handsome interior.
-
considerable, ample, or liberal in amount.
a handsome fortune.
- Synonyms:
- munificent, generous, large
-
gracious; generous; flattering.
a handsome compliment;
a handsome recommendation.
- Antonyms:
- miserly, stingy, ungenerous
-
adroit and appealing; graceful.
a handsome speech.
adjective
-
(of a man) good-looking, esp in having regular, pleasing, and well-defined features
-
(of a woman) fine-looking in a dignified way
-
well-proportioned, stately, or comely
a handsome room
-
liberal or ample
a handsome allowance
-
gracious or generous
a handsome action
-
pleasant
handsome weather
noun
Usage
What are other ways to say handsome?
Someone who is handsome is attractive with a well-proportioned appearance that is suggestive of health and strength. How does handsome compare with lovely, beautiful, and pretty? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of handsome
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English hondsom, handsum “easy to control, handy”; cognate with West Frisian hānsum “easy to control, convenient,” Dutch handzaam “easy to manage”; see hand, -some 1
Explanation
If your father is described as handsome, it means he is good-looking, attractive in a classically masculine way. If your mother is also called handsome, it means while she's striking, if not exactly pretty. Handsome is always a compliment, an admiring way of describing someone, although it's sometimes used as a way to describe a woman who's not conventionally attractive but is still interesting-looking. You can use it to describe an object as well as a person, in which case you are most likely talking about something that's really well-made, or of an obviously high quality, like a particularly handsome oak dining-room table. Occasionally, people talk about a handsome amount of money or a handsome number of votes; this is a generally admiring way of describing almost anything.
Vocabulary lists containing handsome
Call of Beauty: Synonyms for "Beautiful"
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 Frog-Prince" by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
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!
Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5
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.
See Examples For:
The museum’s panorama of ageless ambience is this summer enhanced by increased yet snappy security and a handsome “John Williams Stage” plaque honoring L.A.’s beloved composer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
"He was, I thought, quite handsome, he was tall, he was terribly well educated, and he knew a lot about a lot," said the 56-year-old.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
Charles and Caroline are a handsome couple, with Pa hewn in the rugged spirit immortalized by Michael Landon in the 1970s TV classic.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
My second twist might incite even more gasps: Instead of tuna, bake a handsome fillet of Steelhead trout.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
“This rook’s a handsome fellow, isn’t he?” the housekeeper said as she moved the chess piece across the board.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
Whatever the reasons, the local chapter of the Danish Brotherhood constructed a big, sturdy, multiuse building with handsome parapets outside and handsomer parquet flooring inside.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 12, 2024
Now, however, he’s finally getting the cinematic recognition he deserves: Chris Pine, who is definitely handsomer than Robert ever was, will star in a new Netflix movie, Outlaw King, to be released Nov. 9.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2018
The 2008 revival of “South Pacific” on Broadway gave the baritone Paulo Szot, who reimagined the role of Emile de Becque in a younger and handsomer vein, an entree to a significant international opera career.
From Washington Post ● May 26, 2017
There’s even a revisionist version of “Roots” that isn’t more than serviceable but is remarkably more handsome handsomer and better acted than the original.
From New York Times ● Jun. 16, 2016
‘At least, Papa, he’s a deal handsomer than most of my relatives. Isn’t he, Cousin Sewall?’
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
Sitting in the middle of the sorting floor is a lone basket reserved for Grade AA durians, the handsomest of the lot.
From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026
The Ethiopians are said to be the tallest and handsomest men in the whole world.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
Best bit: “You just never know how love will end / But never ever introduce her to your handsomest friend” from the song Father and Son.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 22, 2020
According to family lore, the photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt proclaimed them the handsomest couple in New York.
From New York Times ● Apr. 9, 2019
“Not really. And second to Gilbert, I’d say he’s one of the handsomest men around.”
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
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.
