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Synonyms

pleasant

American  
[plez-uhnt] / ˈplɛz ənt /

adjective

  1. pleasing, agreeable, or enjoyable; giving pleasure.

    pleasant news.
    Synonyms:
    gratifying, welcome

  2. (of persons, manners, disposition, etc.) socially acceptable or adept; polite; amiable; agreeable.

    Synonyms:
    friendly, congenial, delightful

  3. fair, as weather.

    a pleasant summer day.

  4. Archaic. lively, sprightly, or merry.

  5. Obsolete. jocular or facetious.

pleasant British  
/ ˈplɛzənt /

adjective

  1. giving or affording pleasure; enjoyable

  2. having pleasing or agreeable manners, appearance, habits, etc

  3. obsolete merry and lively

"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

Other Word Forms

  • pleasantly adverb
  • pleasantness noun

Etymology

Origin of pleasant

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English plesaunt, from Old French plaisant, originally present participle of plaisir “to please”; equivalent to please + -ant

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.

At the same time, the author’s easy way with an anecdote makes reading “Advance Britannia” effortlessly pleasant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Laura’s willing absorption into Betty’s tranquil life of gardening and cooking is swift and pleasant — believably so thanks to the acute portrayals of Beer and Auer.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

"It's not pleasant, it's a lot of worries, but there's nothing we can do," he told AFP.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

"Garner is a throwback, and a very pleasant one, to an all-round midfielder," said Osman, who made 437 appearances for the club in midfield between 2003 and 2016.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

There was no shortage of pleasant tasks to choose from, for it was all written down on the list.

From "The Long-Lost Home" 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.