handsome

[han-suhm]

adjective

handsomer, handsomest 

1. having an attractive, well-proportioned, and imposing appearance suggestive of health and strength; good-looking.

   a handsome man;

   a handsome woman.

   Antonyms: ugly

2. having pleasing proportions, relationships, or arrangements, as of shapes, forms, or colors; attractive.

   a handsome house;

   a handsome interior.

3. considerable, ample, or liberal in amount.

   a handsome fortune.

   Synonyms: munificent, generous, large
   Antonyms: scanty, scant, skimpy, meager

4. gracious; generous; flattering.

   a handsome compliment;

   a handsome recommendation.

   Antonyms: miserly, stingy, ungenerous

5. adroit and appealing; graceful.

   a handsome speech.

handsome

/ ˈhændsəm /

adjective

1. (of a man) good-looking, esp in having regular, pleasing, and well-defined features

2. (of a woman) fine-looking in a dignified way

3. well-proportioned, stately, or comely

   a handsome room

4. liberal or ample

   a handsome allowance

5. gracious or generous

   a handsome action

6. pleasant

   handsome weather

noun

1. a term of endearment for a beloved person, esp in my handsome

Other Word Forms

• handsomeish adjective
• handsomeness noun
• superhandsome adjective
• handsomely adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of handsome¹

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”; hand, -some ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of handsome¹

C15: handsom easily handled; compare Dutch handzaam; see _hand , _-some ¹

Example Sentences

New England’s preferred football pastime became bickering over who was more responsible for the glory days: the stern faced coach or the handsome QB.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

They live just 0.7 of a mile apart—a 15-minute stroll past low-rise apartments, a playground and handsome brownstones, many with “Free Palestine” and “Cease Fire Now” signs displayed in windows.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She writes that Maxwell woke her up and told her it was going to be a "special day" - that "just like Cinderella" she was going to meet a "handsome prince".

Read more on BBC

She writes that Maxwell woke her up and told her it was going to be a "special day" and that "just like Cinderella" she was going to meet a "handsome prince".

Read more on BBC

In the Museum of the American Revolution’s handsome, scholarly exhibition, the two seats underline the complex legacy of this country’s founding document.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• attractive 
• beautiful 
• clean-cut 
• dapper 
• elegant 
• good-looking 
• graceful 
• lovely 
• personable 
• smart 
• smooth 
• stately 
• stylish 
• suave 

When To Use

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.