lovely
gb/lˈʌvli/ us/lˈʌvli/
A2
English
~ 1600
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
very attractive in appearance
Looking very nice or beautiful.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is lovely
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'lovely' with 'loveable'. 'Lovely' means beautiful or pleasant, while 'loveable' means easy to love because of personality.
Synonyms
beautiful (Often stronger and more formal; lovely can sound warmer or more personal.)
Antonyms
ugly (Direct opposite in terms of physical attractiveness.)
Collocations
lovely smile
|lovely dress
|lovely view
|lovely day
Themes
appearance
|emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She wore a lovely blue dress to the party.
- The garden is especially lovely in the spring.
- What a lovely view from your balcony!
Learner examples
- This is a lovely house.
- She has a lovely face.
- It is a lovely park.
adjective
A2
property
2
very pleasant or enjoyable
Making you feel happy and comfortable.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is lovely
Common mistake:
Some learners overuse 'lovely' in formal writing; in formal contexts, 'pleasant' or 'enjoyable' may be preferred.
Synonyms
delightful (More formal; similar meaning of giving great pleasure.)
Antonyms
unpleasant (Opposite in terms of causing discomfort or dislike.)
Collocations
lovely time
|lovely meal
|lovely evening
|lovely weather
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We had a lovely time at the picnic.
- It was such a lovely afternoon by the lake.
- Thanks for the lovely dinner last night.
Learner examples
- We had a lovely day at the beach.
- It is lovely weather today.
- The party was lovely.
adjective
informal
B1
property
3
kind and thoughtful in behavior
Being very nice and friendly to other people.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is lovely to [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with physical attractiveness; here it refers to personality and actions.
Synonyms
kind (More general; 'lovely' here adds warmth and affection.)
Antonyms
rude (Opposite in terms of manner and politeness.)
Collocations
lovely person
|lovely friend
|lovely host
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She’s such a lovely person to work with.
- You’ve been absolutely lovely to me since I arrived.
- He’s always lovely with the kids.
Learner examples
- My teacher is very lovely to us.
- She is a lovely friend.
- They are lovely people.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
4
affectionate term for someone liked
A sweet name you call someone you like or love.
Usage pattern:
Hello, [lovely]! / Thanks, [lovely]!
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this usage is more common in British English and can sound unusual in American English.
Synonyms
darling ('Darling' is more intimate; 'lovely' can be friendly as well as romantic.)
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|communication
Examples
- Thanks for helping me, lovely.
- Morning, lovely! Did you sleep well?
- You all right, lovely?
Learner examples
- Hello, lovely! How are you?
- Thank you, lovely.
- Good night, lovely.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lovely
IPA
GB/lˈʌvli/
US/lˈʌvli/
Syllables & stress
lovely (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (lovely)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: lovely
- Comparative: lovelier
- Superlative: loveliest
Noun
- Base: lovely
- Plural: lovelies
Word family
Forms
lovelies
noun
lovelier
adjective
loveliest
adjective
Core family
love
noun A2
loving
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
loveless
adjective
unlovely
adjective
unlovable
adjective
Advanced or less common
loveliness
noun B2
beloved
adjective B2
Expressions
isn't that lovely?
1/ˈɪzənt ðˈæt lˈʌvli ‖/
fixed phrase
asking if something is nice/pleasant
A question to check if someone agrees that something is nice.
Examples
- The sun is shining—oh, isn't that lovely?
- Isn't that lovely? They sent us flowers.
lovely jubbly
1/lˈʌvli d͡ʒˈʌbli/
fixed phrase
informal
British slang for great satisfaction/pleasure
A British slang phrase meaning very good or very pleasing.
Examples
- We got the tickets for free—lovely jubbly!
- Lovely jubbly! That’s exactly what I wanted.
my lovely
1/mˈaɪ lˈʌvli/
fixed phrase
informal
affectionate way to refer to someone liked/loved
A sweet way to call someone you like or love.
Examples
- Come here, my lovely, and sit down.
- Good morning, my lovely.