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

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
The women who worked at the spa were all helpful and pleasant. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026 Hanging string lights can help create a pleasant glow that won’t be overly bright or too harsh. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 29 June 2026 There’s the pleasant background noise of gossipy girls’ dinners and third dates. — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 2 July 2026 Thanks to Madeira’s location near Africa, the surrounding sea is warm and pleasant. — Chadner Navarro, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 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

See All Rhymes for pleasant

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 8 Jul. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on pleasant

Nglish: Translation of pleasant for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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