lovely
Americanadjective
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charmingly or exquisitely beautiful.
a lovely flower.
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having a beauty that appeals to the heart or mind as well as to the eye, as a person or a face.
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delightful; highly pleasing.
to have a lovely time.
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of a great moral or spiritual beauty.
a lovely character.
noun
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Informal. a beautiful woman, especially a show girl.
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any person or thing that is pleasing, highly satisfying, or the like.
Every car in the new line is a lovely.
adverb
adjective
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very attractive or beautiful
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highly pleasing or enjoyable
a lovely time
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loving and attentive
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inspiring love; lovable
noun
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
Etymology
Origin of lovely
First recorded before 900; Middle English luvelich, Old English luflīc “amiable”; love + -ly
Explanation
You've probably heard the adjective lovely to describe something good looking, but did you know that, as a noun, lovely refers, specifically, to a beautiful girl employed as a photographer’s model? From the Old English luflic “affectionate, loveable,” comes lovely, an adjective that describes a person’s or thing’s attractiveness. Find the word love in there — it's something so attractive you can't help but love it. Lovely can also refer to something delightful. For example, a pretty selection of cakes and pastries arranged on a doily could be described as lovely. Anything from your girlfriend to a fresh coat of red paint on your motorcycle can be lovely.
Vocabulary lists containing lovely
Call of Beauty: Synonyms for "Beautiful"
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"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"
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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.
The crust that came out of the oven was delicious, with a lovely flavor and great chew.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
"It's a peaceful city, it's a lovely city. We welcome everybody."
From BBC • May 22, 2026
You’re not being pandered to, however; the payoff is a lovely echo.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
This is still above all a lovely, soft yarn about crime-solving farm animals, some of them voiced by Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, and the guy who plays Roy Kent on “Ted Lasso.”
From Salon • May 17, 2026
“How lovely it will be to introduce my three pupils to Swanburne, and show them my own childhood haunts,” she thought, taking the steps two at a time.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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.
