scenic
Americanadjective
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of or relating to natural scenery.
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having pleasing or beautiful scenery.
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of or relating to the stage or to stage scenery.
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representing a scene, action, or the like.
noun
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a photograph, graphic representation, etc., depicting natural scenery.
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a scenic tour.
to arrange scenics in advance.
adjective
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of or relating to natural scenery
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having beautiful natural scenery
a scenic drive
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of or relating to the stage or stage scenery
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(in painting) representing a scene, such as a scene of action or a historical event
Other Word Forms
- scenically adverb
- unscenic adjective
- unscenically adverb
Etymology
Origin of scenic
1615–25; < Latin scēnicus < Greek skēnikós theatrical. See scene, -ic
Explanation
Something scenic is lush and beautiful to look at, like a mountain range. A pretty sight can be called a beautiful scene, and you can refer to amazing, gorgeous sights as scenic. Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon are two of the most scenic landmarks in the world; that's why so many tourists go to see them. A drive through the country, with open fields, farm life, and mountain ranges is scenic. Scenic sights are natural. You need to get out of the city or suburbs to get a scenic view.
Vocabulary lists containing scenic
Words to Describe a Place
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In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse
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Words to Describe Places
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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.
Once the artery of industrial London, the Thames is now clean and scenic, adding value to the tourist traps and high-rise developments along its shore.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
The rail journey has been described as one of the world's most scenic, and is popular with railway enthusiasts as well as film fans.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
This road trip continues a series exploring California’s overlooked scenic highways, inspired in part by artist Earl Thollander’s “Back Roads of California,” whose sketches and travel notes celebrated a slower way of seeing.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
“Home shoppers in search of value and views latched on to the scenic state, fueled by a remote-work revolution that decoupled high-paying salaries from coastal urban hubs.” she says.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
Mom also kept insisting that we make scenic detours to broaden our horizons.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
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.
