Pleasant Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms pleasant American [plez-uhnt] / ˈplɛz ənt /

adjective

1. pleasing, agreeable, or enjoyable; giving pleasure.

   pleasant news.

   Synonyms: gratifying, welcome

2. (of persons, manners, disposition, etc.) socially acceptable or adept; polite; amiable; agreeable.

   Synonyms: friendly, congenial, delightful

3. fair, as weather.

   a pleasant summer day.

4. Archaic. lively, sprightly, or merry.

5. Obsolete. jocular or facetious.

pleasant British / ˈplɛzənt /

adjective

1. giving or affording pleasure; enjoyable

2. having pleasing or agreeable manners, appearance, habits, etc

3. obsolete merry and lively

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• pleasantly adverb
• pleasantness noun

Etymology

Origin of pleasant

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English plesaunt, from Old French plaisant, originally present participle of plaisir “to please”; equivalent to please + -ant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Known for his signature greeting, “Hi everybody, and a very pleasant good evening to you,” Vin Scully was the voice of the Dodgers — and of baseball.

From Los Angeles Times

“We are going to have to get you a second seat,” the Southwest woman said, perfectly pleasant and nonjudgmental.

From Los Angeles Times

There are stretches of life that invite experimentation, when the kitchen feels like a place to play: new recipes, unfamiliar flavors, the pleasant friction of learning something from scratch.

From Salon

I had breakfast and dinner, both pleasant, in the resort restaurant, Eagle’s Landing.

From Los Angeles Times

They have no good options, but a shift to an arm’s-length relationship is likely to make for a less pleasant business environment for U.S. companies operating overseas.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• agreeable
• amiable
• amusing
• bland
• charming
• cheerful
• congenial
• cool
• cordial
• delightful
• engaging
• enjoyable
• fun
• gracious
• homey
• likable
• lovely
• mild
• pleasing
• pleasurable

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.