handsomely
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of handsomely
Explanation
To do something handsomely is to do it in a way that looks attractive or pleasing. If you arrange a bouquet of flowers handsomely, they'll look great even if they're in a pickle jar instead of a fancy vase. A teenage boy might aspire to dress handsomely for his senior prom, wearing a nice tuxedo and bow tie. Another meaning of handsomely is "generously," or "substantially," so if the boy's boss at the neighborhood pizza shop pays him handsomely, he'll also be able to rent a limousine to transport him and his date to the dance.
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.
Villa won but could have drawn - or equally triumphed more handsomely - during a game which went from comfortable to edgy to relief.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
For decades, the Agriculture Department, in an effort to reduce the production of agricultural commodities, has handsomely paid landowners to convert agricultural lands to tree farms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
That strategy has paid off spectacularly -- coding is the rare AI skill that users are willing to pay handsomely for.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
That investment and others in the AI and tech sectors have paid off handsomely, but pivoting to a legacy NBA team with a locked-in elevated financial floor could be prudent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Because his judgment was always good, the estates paid him handsomely.
From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba
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.
