handsome
adjective
hand·some ˈhan(t)-səm 
handsomer; handsomest
1
: having a pleasing and usually impressive or dignified appearance
2
: moderately large : sizable
a painting that commanded a handsome price
3
: marked by skill or cleverness : adroit
4
: marked by graciousness or generosity : liberal
handsome contributions to charity
5
chiefly dialectal : appropriate, suitable
handsomely adverb
handsomeness noun
Synonyms
- classy
- courtly
- elegant
- fine
- graceful
- majestic
- refined
- stately
- tasteful
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He was a handsome man, in a big-screen way, with the deep-set eyes and boyish smile and even the lumpy, interesting complexion of a Harrison Ford or a Robert Redford. 
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 10 May 2004 An Alexandrian statue of a ruggedly handsome man with gaunt features like Caesar's exploits the translucent glow of large-grained marble from the distant Greek island of Thasos, combining Roman attention to the texture of aging skin with the abstract elegance of Egyptian-style almond eyes and chiseled cheekbones. Ingrid D. Rowland, New Republic, 1 & 8 Apr. 2002 The Galaxy's first stop, St. Lucia's capital city of Castries, has been destroyed by so many fires that travel writers dismiss it as holding little interest. There I came upon a handsome three-story brick building that had clearly withstood the city's century of conflagrations. It was, of all things, a Carnegie Library, built by that American millionaire's beneficence in 1916. Carla Davidson, American Heritage, November 1999 With bonds and utility stocks under seige, many people who depend on these traditional income investments are taking a new look at real estate investment trusts. What they're finding is that "REITs" generate handsome dividend yields of 6% or more while offering the possibility of capital gains. That's not bad at a time when 10-year Treasury notes, which currently yield about 7%, come with the worry that rising interest rates will cause their value to plummet. Lynn Asinof, Wall Street Journal, 3 June 1994 It was a handsome house situated on a large lot. The book includes many handsome illustrations. I predict that someone tall, dark, and handsome is going to come into your life. He inherited a handsome fortune. He made a handsome profit on the sale of the house. The book is a handsome tribute to a great poet. See More
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 10 May 2004 An Alexandrian statue of a ruggedly handsome man with gaunt features like Caesar's exploits the translucent glow of large-grained marble from the distant Greek island of Thasos, combining Roman attention to the texture of aging skin with the abstract elegance of Egyptian-style almond eyes and chiseled cheekbones. Ingrid D. Rowland, New Republic, 1 & 8 Apr. 2002 The Galaxy's first stop, St. Lucia's capital city of Castries, has been destroyed by so many fires that travel writers dismiss it as holding little interest. There I came upon a handsome three-story brick building that had clearly withstood the city's century of conflagrations. It was, of all things, a Carnegie Library, built by that American millionaire's beneficence in 1916. Carla Davidson, American Heritage, November 1999 With bonds and utility stocks under seige, many people who depend on these traditional income investments are taking a new look at real estate investment trusts. What they're finding is that "REITs" generate handsome dividend yields of 6% or more while offering the possibility of capital gains. That's not bad at a time when 10-year Treasury notes, which currently yield about 7%, come with the worry that rising interest rates will cause their value to plummet. Lynn Asinof, Wall Street Journal, 3 June 1994 It was a handsome house situated on a large lot. The book includes many handsome illustrations. I predict that someone tall, dark, and handsome is going to come into your life. He inherited a handsome fortune. He made a handsome profit on the sale of the house. The book is a handsome tribute to a great poet. See More Recent Examples on the Web While this smooth leather option is handsome, a suede model looks even better. Christian Gollayan, Men's Health, 30 Aug. 2022 The little building — 600 square feet with some waiting rooms and bathroom facilities — was handsome in its day. Carl Nolte, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Aug. 2022 The handsome, delicious freshwater species with the white flesh and tip on its tail is prized by sport, tribal and commercial fishers. Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 7 July 2022 Once upon a time in a land far, far away (Las Vegas) at 2am, after an epic night and a little tequila, a queen and her handsome king ventured out to the only open chapel with an Elvis and got married (with no license). Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY, 22 May 2022 An anodized aluminum device with a vegan leather strap, Molekule Air Pro, is handsome enough to be sold by the Museum of Modern Art’s Design Store. Kathryn O’shea-evans, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2021 Not handsome in a physically striking way — although some were that too. Damon Young, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2022 That means the handsome, powerful but amiable pointers can now go for best in show at many U.S. dog shows, including the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club event next year. Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2022 Every summer, Belly, her mom, and her big brother Steven head to Cousins Beach to spend the season with her mom’s best friend and her two oh-so-handsome sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. Leah Campano, Seventeen, 17 June 2022 See More
Christian Gollayan, Men's Health, 30 Aug. 2022 The little building — 600 square feet with some waiting rooms and bathroom facilities — was handsome in its day. Carl Nolte, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Aug. 2022 The handsome, delicious freshwater species with the white flesh and tip on its tail is prized by sport, tribal and commercial fishers. Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 7 July 2022 Once upon a time in a land far, far away (Las Vegas) at 2am, after an epic night and a little tequila, a queen and her handsome king ventured out to the only open chapel with an Elvis and got married (with no license). Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY, 22 May 2022 An anodized aluminum device with a vegan leather strap, Molekule Air Pro, is handsome enough to be sold by the Museum of Modern Art’s Design Store. Kathryn O’shea-evans, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2021 Not handsome in a physically striking way — although some were that too. Damon Young, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2022 That means the handsome, powerful but amiable pointers can now go for best in show at many U.S. dog shows, including the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club event next year. Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2022 Every summer, Belly, her mom, and her big brother Steven head to Cousins Beach to spend the season with her mom’s best friend and her two oh-so-handsome sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. Leah Campano, Seventeen, 17 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English handsom easy to manipulate
First Known Use
1530, in the meaning defined at sense 5
Kids Definition
handsome
adjective
hand·some ˈhan-səm
handsomer; handsomest
1
: having a pleasing and impressive appearance
a handsome dog
2
: considerable
They made a handsome profit on the sale.
3
: more than enough
We left a handsome tip.
handsome
adjective
1
as in graceful
having or showing elegance the glass-topped table was a handsome addition to the room Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- graceful
- elegant
- fine
- majestic
- magnificent
- stylish
- classy
- luxurious
- gallant
- proud
- glorious
- rich
- royal
- tasteful
- regal
- noble
- superb
- aristocratic
- simple
- refined
- sophisticated
- courtly
- sleek
- stately
- fashionable
- grand
- exquisite
- lavish
- quiet
- ornate
- heroic
- splendid
- polished
- monumental
- imposing
- heroical
- classic
- conservative
- artful
- chic
- restrained
- baronial
- smart
- genteel
- posh
- understated
- patrician
- august
- swank
- swanky
- swagger
- pretentious
- grandiose
- ostentatious
- modish
- snappy
- sharp
- in
- affected
- recherché
- à la mode
- a la mode
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unhandsome
- unfashionable
- dowdy
- flamboyant
- inelegant
- graceless
- coarse
- loud
- tasteless
- flashy
- unstylish
- grotesque
- gaudy
- crude
- raffish
- tawdry
- cheesy
- glitzy
- garish
- tacky
- styleless
- splashy
- uncouth
- vulgar
- rude
- trashy
- unpolished
- unrefined
- uncultured
- uncultivated
- ticky-tacky
- rough-edged
- rough-hewn
- ticky-tack
2
as in large
of a size greater than average of its kind earns a handsome salary as senior vice president of the firm Synonyms & Similar Words
- large
- sizable
- substantial
- big
- great
- tidy
- considerable
- huge
- oversize
- oversized
- bulky
- husky
- gigantic
- hulking
- voluminous
- enormous
- hefty
- spacious
- goodly
- extravagant
- excessive
- super
- tremendous
- colossal
- massive
- grand
- sizeable
- vast
- largish
- outsized
- outsize
- staggering
- stupendous
- ample
- biggish
- heroic
- prodigious
- humongous
- mammoth
- boxcar
- plentiful
- mountainous
- immense
- gargantuan
- astronomical
- monstrous
- thick
- heroical
- monolithic
- supersized
- abundant
- monumental
- commodious
- titanic
- exorbitant
- roomy
- copious
- major
- humungous
- vasty
- herculean
- super-duper
- cavernous
- gross
- cyclopean
- jumbo
- whopping
- elephantine
- king-sized
- appreciable
- Bunyanesque
- inordinate
- capacious
- bumper
- cosmic
- immoderate
- astronomic
- galactic
- extreme
- whacking
- pharaonic
- leviathan
- fat
- walloping
- king-size
- hellacious
- cosmical
- Himalayan
- Brobdingnagian
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- small
- little
- smallish
- puny
- dwarf
- undersized
- dinky
- dwarfish
- diminutive
- undersize
- shrimpy
- tiny
- miniature
- bantam
- slender
- microscopic
- little bitty
- minuscule
- mini
- wee
- microscopical
- infinitesimal
- teeny
- pygmy
- petite
- thin
- slim
- teensy
- minute
- pint-sized
- pocket-sized
- microminiature
- slight
- pint-size
- pocket-size
- half-pint
- teeny-weeny
- teensy-weensy
- Lilliputian
3
as in beautiful
very pleasing to look at a handsome man with finely chiseled features Synonyms & Similar Words
- beautiful
- attractive
- gorgeous
- lovely
- cute
- pretty
- charming
- stunning
- good
- elegant
- sexy
- delightful
- comely
- ravishing
- good-looking
- beauteous
- likely
- magnificent
- glorious
- perfect
- goodly
- fascinating
- fetching
- aesthetic
- seemly
- hot
- sightly
- taking
- bonny
- knockout
- fair
- flawless
- superb
- exquisite
- desirable
- drop-dead
- pleasant
- well-favored
- alluring
- appealing
- glamorous
- splendid
- lovesome
- statuesque
- cunning
- delicate
- prepossessing
- resplendent
- bonnie
- radiant
- engaging
- seductive
- esthetic
- aesthetical
- esthetical
- personable
- sublime
- hunky
- dainty
- presentable
- foxy
- glamourous
- striking
- luscious
- glossy
- flamboyant
- studly
- toothsome
- showy
- photogenic
- snazzy
- nubile
- dishy
- slick
- flashy
- arresting
- Junoesque
- telegenic
- prettyish
- pulchritudinous
- splashy
- dollish
- eye-catching
- chocolate-box
- zingy
- showstopping
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ugly
- unattractive
- plain
- unhandsome
- homely
- hideous
- grotesque
- unlovely
- unbeautiful
- unsightly
- repulsive
- uncomely
- loathsome
- bad
- terrible
- disagreeable
- unpleasing
- unaesthetic
- ghastly
- disgusting
- horrible
- dreadful
- frightful
- vile
- objectionable
- repugnant
- abominable
- shocking
- revolting
- uncute
- nasty
- offensive
- abhorrent
- unpretty
- repellent
- ill-favored
- sickening
- unpleasant
- unprepossessing
- nauseating
- repellant
- unappealing
- foul
- unimposing
- unappetizing
- frumpy
- unshapely
- unbecoming
- frumpish
4
as in sizable
sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention real estate developers realized a handsome profit on that deal Synonyms & Similar Words
- sizable
- substantial
- considerable
- significant
- good
- respectable
- healthy
- big
- huge
- great
- tidy
- goodly
- tremendous
- largish
- sizeable
- major
- massive
- substantive
- hulking
- bulky
- hefty
- biggish
- voluminous
- oversize
- gigantic
- oversized
- enormous
- prodigious
- colossal
- outsize
- monstrous
- outsized
- mammoth
- monumental
- immense
- herculean
- astronomical
- titanic
- jumbo
- whopping
- elephantine
- king-sized
- bumper
- king-size
- astronomic
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nominal
- insignificant
- inconsiderable
- insubstantial
- puny
- negligible
- inconsequential
- petty
- unimportant
- trivial
- small
- trifling
- marginal
- tiny
- little
- meager
- paltry
- meagre
- piddling
- diminutive
- slight
- undersized
- minute
- picayune
- miniature
- smallish
- undersize
- measly
- picayunish
- bitty
- pocket
- pygmy
- pint-sized
- pocket-sized
- pint-size
- pocket-size
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of handsome are beautiful, comely, fair, lovely, and pretty. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," handsome suggests aesthetic pleasure due to proportion, symmetry, or elegance.
a handsome Georgian mansion
While the synonyms beautiful and handsome are close in meaning, beautiful applies to whatever excites the keenest of pleasure to the senses and stirs emotion through the senses.
beautiful mountain scenery
Comely is like handsome in suggesting what is coolly approved rather than emotionally responded to.
the comely grace of a dancer
The synonyms fair and handsome are sometimes interchangeable, but fair suggests beauty because of purity, flawlessness, or freshness.
fair of face
Lovely is close to beautiful but applies to a narrower range of emotional excitation in suggesting the graceful, delicate, or exquisite.
a lovely melody
The words pretty and handsome can be used in similar contexts, but pretty often applies to superficial or insubstantial attractiveness.
a painter of conventionally pretty scenes