pleasant

1 of 2

adjective

pleas·​ant ˈple-zᵊnt How to pronounce pleasant (audio)
Synonyms of pleasant
1
: having qualities that tend to give pleasure : agreeable
a pleasant day
2
: having or characterized by pleasing manners, behavior, or appearance
pleasantly adverb
pleasantness noun

pleasantness

2 of 2

noun

pleas·​ant·​ness
plural -es
1
: the quality or state of being pleasant
2
: the elementary feeling that is aroused by agreeable stimuli

Synonyms of pleasant

Relevance

Adjective

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Examples of pleasant in a Sentence

Adjective the pleasant smell of cookies baking in the oven We had a pleasant conversation. Our evening together was pleasant but not very exciting. I didn't know you were coming. What a pleasant surprise! Their new teacher seems pleasant enough. a very pleasant young man
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Meet the Minds Behind Poetry in Motion New York’s subway, from its founding, was dreamt as a public good in all senses, to provide a useful and reliable service that was also a pleasant place to be. — James Folta, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026 While rain chances will be back at some point next week (model data isn't in agreement just yet on timing), the pleasant, unseasonably warm afternoon temps look to be sticking around through the middle of November. — Ron Smiley, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 Jacaranda trees bloom in purple across the city’s streets and parks, making wandering between neighborhoods in search of milongas (tango dance halls) especially pleasant. — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026 In a world of endless technical advancement, who could have predicted that the greatest luxury of all would be a pleasant conversation with a human? — Anna Van Praagh, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pleasant

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English plesaunt, from Anglo-French plaisant, from present participle of plaisir

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pleasant was in the 14th century

Rhymes for pleasant

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Browse Nearby Words

pleasance
pleasant
Pleasant Grove
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pleasant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pleasant. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pleasant

adjective
pleas·​ant ˈplez-ᵊnt How to pronounce pleasant (audio)
1
: giving pleasure : agreeable
a pleasant day
2
: having or marked by pleasing manners, behavior, or appearance
the new teacher is very pleasant
pleasantly adverb
pleasantness noun
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