lovely

The word “lovely” means beautiful or pleasing; delightful. In plain terms, very pleasant, beautiful, or nice.

“Lovely” is pronounced LUHV-lee (/ˈlʌv.li/ in IPA).

Here is “lovely” used in a sentence: “What a lovely view of the valley.”

Words with a similar meaning to “lovely” include beautiful, charming, lovable, lovesome and loving.

Depending on how it is used, “lovely” can be an adjective and a noun.

The word “lovely” comes from Old English. From Old English luflic, "loving, amiable," from love plus the suffix -ly.

“Lovely” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Lovely” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: beautiful or pleasing; delightful.

Beautiful is the stronger word, describing striking, impressive beauty that draws the eye. Lovely is warmer and gentler, suggesting something pleasing, charming, and delightful rather than breathtaking. A sunset can be beautiful in its grandeur, while a quiet afternoon can be lovely in its comfort. Lovely often carries genuine affection alongside admiration.

Lovely is fairly informal and conversational, common in friendly, everyday speech — especially in British English, where it also signals warm approval, as in 'lovely, thanks.' It is perfectly acceptable in writing but has a relaxed, personal tone, so more formal contexts might choose 'beautiful,' 'delightful,' or 'attractive' instead.

Opposites of lovely include unpleasant, horrible, and unattractive, depending on the sense meant. When lovely describes appearance, 'ugly' or 'plain' contrast with it, while for an experience, 'awful' or 'disagreeable' fit better. In each case, the opposite points to something that fails to please or delight.

You might call a lovely garden, a lovely meal, or a lovely person by that word. It suits a warm summer's evening, a thoughtful gift, or a kind gesture. In each case, lovely signals that something is pleasing and delightful, bringing quiet enjoyment rather than dramatic impact.