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Synonyms

lovely

American  
[luhv-lee] / ˈlʌv li /

adjective

lovelier, loveliest

  1. charmingly or exquisitely beautiful.

    a lovely flower.

  2. having a beauty that appeals to the heart or mind as well as to the eye, as a person or a face.

  3. delightful; highly pleasing.

    to have a lovely time.

  4. of a great moral or spiritual beauty.

    a lovely character.

noun

plural

lovelies

  1. Informal. a beautiful woman, especially a show girl.

  2. any person or thing that is pleasing, highly satisfying, or the like.

    Every car in the new line is a lovely.

adverb

  1. Nonstandard. very well; splendidly.

lovely British  
/ ˈlʌvlɪ /

adjective

  1. very attractive or beautiful

  2. highly pleasing or enjoyable

    a lovely time

  3. loving and attentive

  4. inspiring love; lovable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. slang a lovely woman

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What are other ways to say lovely?

The adjective lovely describes people or things that are charmingly or exquisitely beautiful. How is it different from beautiful, handsome, and pretty? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.  

Other Word Forms

  • lovelily adverb
  • loveliness noun

Etymology

Origin of lovely

First recorded before 900; Middle English luvelich, Old English luflīc “amiable”; love + -ly

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.

After spending a lovely, much-needed night together, Mag floats the idea of her moving in.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

It's a lovely picture, but nothing new when it comes to science.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

Moreno thought it would be lovely for Carpino to throw out the first pitch and, under different circumstances, it would have been.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

Natalie said the response they had had to the workshops was "really lovely".

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

“You have some lovely pieces here. I’m sure you’re giving Fong See On a real run for his money.”

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

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.