blonde

6 synonyms and 2 antonyms for blonde, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — Of hair, pale yellow, golden or very light in colour; of a person, having such hair.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

fair golden light

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

platinum blond

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

flaxen

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

Of hair, pale yellow, golden or very light in colour; of a person, having such hair.

“Her hair went blonde after a summer on the coast.”

fair golden flaxen platinum light blond

Opposites

brunette dark

2. noun can sound dated or reductive when used of a person

A woman or girl with fair hair.

“A tall blonde was waiting at the bar.”

blond

How to use blonde

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

dyed blonde platinum blonde strawberry blonde natural blonde

Calling a woman a blonde as a noun can seem old-fashioned or dismissive; describing hair as blonde is entirely neutral.

Etymology

From French blonde, the feminine form of blond, meaning fair-haired.

Full origin of blonde →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between blond and blonde?

The distinction comes from French, where blond describes a man and blonde a woman. English keeps this loosely: blond for a man or boy, blonde for a woman or girl. American style guides increasingly use blond as the neutral adjective for hair of any owner, while British writers commonly use blonde throughout.

Is it rude to call someone a blonde?

Describing someone's hair as blonde is perfectly neutral. Using blonde as a noun for a woman can sound dated, and jokes about blondes being unintelligent are widely considered sexist, so most careful writers avoid the noun.

People also searched

light dark fair golden platinum blond brunette flaxen

Nearby words

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