pleasant
PLEHZ-uhnt
Pleasant (adj) means pleasing or agreeable; nice to experience. Example: “It was a pleasant surprise to find the train arriving ahead of time.”
adj
1
Pleasing or agreeable; nice to experience.
"It was a pleasant surprise to find the train arriving ahead of time."
"We had a pleasant afternoon walking along the beach."
"She has a pleasant manner that puts people at ease."
How to use pleasant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNice, agreeable, and easy to enjoy — used for people, weather, experiences, and more.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
pleasant surprise
pleasant weather
pleasant conversation
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Word forms
- Plural
- pleasants
- Comparative
- more pleasant, pleasanter
- Superlative
- most pleasant, pleasantest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
It was a _____ surprise to find the train arriving ahead of time.
Etymology
From Old French plaisant, ultimately from please + -ant. It largely replaced the older English word winsome in this sense.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for pleasant
See all rhymes for 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.
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