DictionaryAI

beautiful

SayBYOO-ti-fuhl/ˈbju.tɪ.fəl//ˈbjuːtɪ.fəl/

5 meanings of beautiful

Practice

  1. 1
    eye-pleasingadjective
    Very nice to look at or listen to, or to taste, smell, or feel.

    Like a flower that makes people stop and look.

    The sunset over the ocean was beautiful.

    She wore a beautiful blue dress to the party.

    UsageSay more beautiful. For a man, people often say handsome.

    Similarlovely, gorgeous, stunning, attractive, pretty

    Oppositeugly, hideous, unattractive

  2. 2
    admirableadjective
    Clever or kind in a way that feels exactly right.

    The mathematician found the proof beautiful for its simplicity.

    Forgiving his old rival was a beautiful gesture that moved everyone.

    Similarelegant, exquisite, admirable, lovely

    Oppositeinelegant, clumsy, ugly

  3. 3
    adjective
    Liked very much, or thought of as really good.

    That's a beautiful idea, so let's try it tomorrow.

    You fixed my bike before I even asked? That's beautiful, thank you.

    Similarwonderful, lovely, great, marvelous

    Oppositeterrible, awful, horrible

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    nouncountable
    A person who is very good-looking. People also use it as a name when talking to someone.

    Come here, beautiful, and let me get a proper look at you.

    Grandpa leaned over the crib and whispered, "Hello there, beautiful."

    UsageSay Morning, beautiful! to someone you love.

    Similarbeauty, stunner, babe

    Note
  2. 5
    adjective
    Said after a noun to add strong feeling, or said about something bad to mean the opposite, as a joke.

    A broken heater in the middle of winter, beautiful.

    Another flat tire on the freeway, beautiful, exactly what we needed today.

    Similargreat, perfect, lovely, wonderful

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of beautiful apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from Middle English words for something pleasing to look at, made from "beauty" plus "-ful".

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts