pleasant
16 synonyms and 5 antonyms for pleasant, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Pleasing or agreeable; nice to experience.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use pleasant
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old French plaisant, ultimately from please + -ant. It largely replaced the older English word winsome in this sense.
Full origin of pleasant →Frequently asked questions
What does “pleasant” mean?
The word “pleasant” means pleasing or agreeable; nice to experience. In plain terms, nice, agreeable, and easy to enjoy — used for people, weather, experiences, and more.
How do you pronounce “pleasant”?
“Pleasant” is pronounced PLEHZ-uhnt (/ˈplɛz.ənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “pleasant” in a sentence?
Here is “pleasant” used in a sentence: “We had a pleasant afternoon walking along the beach.”
What is another word for “pleasant”?
Words with a similar meaning to “pleasant” include agreeable, appropriate, nice, pleasurable, felicitous and gorgeous.
What is the opposite of “pleasant”?
The opposite of “pleasant” — its antonyms — are disagreeable, nasty, unpleasant, repulsive and annoying.
What part of speech is “pleasant”?
“Pleasant” is an adjective.
Where does the word “pleasant” come from?
The word “pleasant” comes from Old French. From Old French plaisant, ultimately from please + -ant. It largely replaced the older English word winsome in this sense.
Is “pleasant” a common word?
“Pleasant” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between pleasant and pleasing?
Both relate to giving pleasure, but pleasant describes something that is naturally nice to experience, while pleasing emphasises that it satisfies or gratifies someone. A pleasant day simply feels nice; a pleasing result meets expectations.
What is the difference between pleasant and nice?
Both are mild and positive, but pleasant is slightly more specific, suggesting genuine, agreeable enjoyment, whereas nice is more general and can sound vague or non-committal.
Can pleasant describe a person?
Yes. Pleasant can describe a person who is friendly, agreeable, and easy to be around, as well as things and experiences that are enjoyable.
What is the opposite of pleasant?
The opposite of pleasant is unpleasant, meaning disagreeable or not enjoyable. Other antonyms include disagreeable and nasty.