homely
Americanadjective
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lacking in physical attractiveness; not beautiful; unattractive.
a homely child.
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not having elegance, refinement, or cultivation.
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proper or suited to the home or to ordinary domestic life; plain; unpretentious.
homely food.
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commonly seen or known.
adjective
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characteristic of or suited to the ordinary home; unpretentious
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warm and domesticated in manner or appearance
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plain or ugly
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Related Words
Simple, homely ( homey ), homelike, plain imply absence of adornment or embellishment. Something that is simple is not elaborate or complex: a simple kind of dress. In the United States, homely usually suggests absence of natural beauty: an unattractive person almost homely enough to be called ugly. In England, the word suggests a wholesome simplicity without artificial refinement or elegance; since it characterizes that which is comfortable and attractive, it is equivalent to homey : a homely cottage. Homelike also emphasizes comfort and attractiveness, but it conveys less strongly than does homey a sense of intimate security: a homelike interior, arrangement, atmosphere. Something that is plain has little or no adornment: expensive but plain clothing.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of homely
First recorded in 1300–50, homely is from the Middle English word homly. See home, -ly
Explanation
Homely describes someone who's plain or unattractive, like your homely Aunt Agnes or her squish-faced bulldog. The adjective homely is a slightly more gentle word than ugly, with a meaning closer to "plain" than "hideous." It's almost always used to describe a less-than-attractive person, and occasionally an animal. If you were British, you'd use homely to mean "cozy and homelike," but in the United States you'd say "homey." Be careful not to confuse homey with homely, or you could accidentally hurt someone's feelings.
Vocabulary lists containing homely
"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
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One Crazy Summer
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Lyddie
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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.
He added: "The homely comfy environment like a chip shop that people are familiar with, and nostalgic old-school graphics really helps lean into an uncanny dreamlike feeling."
From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026
But now they've replaced the windows and the ceiling and Yasir - a trained carpenter - has made their flat homely again.
From BBC • May 15, 2025
Volkswagen was perhaps Sirowitz’s most important account, and the homely Beetle, nicknamed the “Bug,” was his and copywriter Robert Levenson’s automotive muse.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 15, 2024
Reground yourself, if needed, with a homely gold “posy ring” inscribed around the inside with a reassuring motto like “I am but a token,” “I live in hope,” or “Rather Deathe Then False of Fayte.”
From New York Times • Jan. 18, 2024
Helen Chambers was homely and dignified in the manner of Eleanor Roosevelt.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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.
