Attractive is a safe word that says little, so it gets applied to faces, personalities and salary offers alike. Each wants its own replacement: handsome or striking for looks, charming or magnetic for manner, tempting or lucrative for a deal. Swap across those lines and the sentence breaks: a magnetic salary or a lucrative face means nothing.
Best synonyms for attractive
Pleasing to look at
- good-looking
- pretty
- handsome
- striking
- stunning
- gorgeous
- lovely
- cute
Charming or drawing people in
- charming
- engaging
- captivating
- alluring
- magnetic
- charismatic
- winsome
- personable
Worth wanting, as an offer or idea
- appealing
- desirable
- tempting
- enticing
- inviting
- lucrative
Which synonym should you use?
| If you mean… | Best alternatives |
|---|---|
| A man with strong, regular features | handsome, good-looking |
| A woman or child with a sweet face | pretty, cute, lovely |
| A face you notice at once | striking, stunning, gorgeous |
| Someone people enjoy talking to | charming, engaging, personable |
| A presence that holds a room | magnetic, charismatic, captivating |
| A job, plan or idea you'd like | appealing, desirable |
| A job or deal that pays well | lucrative, tempting |
| Something that draws you in | inviting, enticing, tempting |
Attractive synonyms explained
1. Handsome
Said mostly of men, and it suggests strong, well-proportioned features. Said of a woman, it points to a strong-featured look rather than the softness of pretty.
Best used when: Describing a man's face in a respectful, slightly traditional way.
He was a handsome man in his fifties, with gray hair and a square jaw.
2. Pretty
Light, easy good looks, usually of faces, girls, places and small objects. It is milder than gorgeous and softer than striking, and it is rarely used of men.
Best used when: Praising a face, a garden or a dress without exaggerating.
The town has a pretty little square with a fountain in the middle.
3. Striking
Describes looks that grab attention because they are unusual or bold, not because they are sweet. A striking face may not be conventionally beautiful, which separates it from pretty.
Best used when: A person or design stands out, and you want to say so without calling it pretty.
Her striking green eyes were the first thing anyone noticed.
4. Gorgeous
A step up from pretty, and a warm, enthusiastic word. It also stretches to views, weather and food, where handsome would not.
Best used when: Speaking with real enthusiasm about someone's looks or a beautiful scene.
We had gorgeous weather for the whole wedding weekend.
5. Cute
Small, sweet, youthful appeal, as in babies, pets and outfits. In casual American speech it is also a common way to call an adult attractive (he's cute), lighter and more playful than good-looking. In a professional setting it can sound condescending.
Best used when: Something is endearing rather than impressive to look at, or you are talking casually about someone you like.
The puppy tilted its head, and everyone in the room said it was cute.
6. Charming
Pleasing through manner: warmth, wit and ease with other people. It is about behavior more than looks, and it is warmer than engaging, which is about holding attention.
Best used when: Someone makes people feel welcome and liked.
The innkeeper was so charming that we booked a second night.
7. Engaging
Holds your interest and invites you to keep listening or reading. It suits speakers, writers, characters and smiles, and says less about warmth than charming does.
Best used when: Praising a teacher, narrator or conversation partner who keeps you hooked.
She is an engaging speaker who never reads from her slides.
8. Magnetic
A pull people feel without being able to explain it, usually from presence rather than features. Charismatic goes further, suggesting the power to inspire, lead or persuade. Magnetic is only about the pull.
Best used when: A performer or personality makes people look and keep looking.
The lead singer has a magnetic stage presence that fills the whole arena.
9. Alluring
Attractive with a hint of mystery or temptation, and often romantic. It sounds more literary than appealing and is stronger than charming.
Best used when: Writing about a person, place or promise that quietly draws people in.
The film's heroine is an alluring stranger who never quite explains where she came from.
10. Appealing
The broadest and mildest match for attractive when you mean something worth wanting. It works for people, food, ideas and plans, and is gentler than tempting.
Best used when: You want a plain word for something you would be glad to have or do.
Working from home is appealing, but not every job allows it.
11. Tempting
Makes you want something you may be wise to resist. It often takes to plus a verb, as in it was tempting to quit, which appealing rarely does.
Best used when: An offer pulls at you against your better judgment.
Both offers were tempting, but I wanted to stay in Denver.
12. Lucrative
Concerns money only: jobs, deals and businesses that pay well. It says nothing about whether you would enjoy the work, unlike desirable.
Best used when: The attraction of a job, contract or business is the income.
She left teaching for a more lucrative career in sales.
13. Desirable
Worth having, in a neutral and slightly formal way. It is common in listings and reports (a desirable neighborhood, desirable qualities) and less emotional than tempting.
Best used when: Describing a feature, location or trait that most people would want.
The apartment is in a desirable neighborhood within walking distance of the park.
FAQ
Does attractive take to or for?
Use attractive to for the person or group who is drawn in: The plan is attractive to small investors. Attractive for appears when something suits a purpose, as in an attractive location for a new office, but to is the safer default.
Is attractive a safer compliment than handsome or pretty?
Yes, because attractive works for any gender and avoids the question of whether handsome or pretty fits. The cost is that it sounds neutral and a little distant, so in warm, personal praise a more specific word usually lands better.