pleasantly
gb/plˈɛzəntli/ us/plˈɛzəntli/
B1
English
~ 5500
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B1
property
1
in a friendly or polite way
In a friendly and nice way that makes other people feel good.
Usage pattern:
to [verb] pleasantly toward [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "pleasant" instead of "pleasantly" to describe how someone speaks or behaves, saying *"He spoke very pleasant"* instead of *"He spoke very pleasantly."* Remember: use "pleasantly" to describe actions (verbs) and "pleasant" to describe things or people (nouns).
Synonyms
amiably (Slightly more formal; emphasizes warmth and friendliness in behavior.)
|
nicely (More informal and general; can describe action quality, not only friendliness.)
|
kindly (Emphasizes kindness and consideration more than general pleasantness.)
|
agreeably (More formal; focuses on giving a sense of general agreement or comfort.)
Antonyms
rudely (Focuses on lack of politeness or respect, the opposite of pleasant manners.)
|
harshly (Describes a hard, unfriendly way of speaking or acting.)
|
unpleasantly (Direct opposite; behavior or manner that is not pleasing or enjoyable.)
Collocations
smile pleasantly
|speak pleasantly
|answer pleasantly
|greet [someone] pleasantly
|respond pleasantly
|say [something] pleasantly
Themes
social
|communication
|emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She smiled pleasantly and invited us to sit down.
- The receptionist spoke pleasantly, even though the line was very long.
- He answered the difficult question pleasantly, without showing any annoyance.
- They chatted pleasantly throughout the meal, avoiding any serious topics.
- The teacher nodded pleasantly when the student entered the room late.
Learner examples
- The waiter greets every customer pleasantly.
- My neighbor always talks pleasantly to me in the morning.
- The child asks for help very pleasantly.
- The manager listens pleasantly and does not get angry.
- She answers the phone pleasantly every time.
adverb
B1
property
2
to an agreeable, comfortable degree
In a way that is not too strong and feels good or comfortable.
Usage pattern:
[something] is pleasantly [adjective]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "pleasantly" with "pleased" in phrases like *"I am pleasantly"* instead of *"I am pleased"* or *"I am pleasantly surprised."* Use "pleasantly" before an adjective to show a good, comfortable degree (*"pleasantly warm"*, *"pleasantly tired"*).
Synonyms
agreeably (More formal; emphasizes that the degree is satisfying or suitable.)
|
comfortably (Focuses on physical or mental comfort rather than general pleasantness.)
|
nicely (Informal; general positive degree, can sound less precise.)
|
mildly (Emphasizes that something is not strong; lacks the clearly positive feeling of "pleasantly".)
Antonyms
unpleasantly (Direct opposite; the quality or degree feels bad or gives discomfort.)
|
uncomfortably (Describes a degree that causes physical or emotional discomfort.)
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excessively (Stresses that the degree is too strong, beyond what is pleasant.)
Collocations
pleasantly surprised
|pleasantly warm
|pleasantly cool
|pleasantly full
|pleasantly tired
|pleasantly drunk
Themes
daily life
|weather
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We were pleasantly surprised by how good the food was.
- The room was pleasantly warm after the fire had been lit.
- After dinner I felt pleasantly full, but not too stuffed.
- The evening breeze was pleasantly cool after the hot day.
- He was pleasantly tired after the long but enjoyable hike.
Learner examples
- I was pleasantly surprised by my exam result.
- The water is pleasantly warm for swimming.
- She felt pleasantly full after the meal.
- The air is pleasantly cool in the morning.
- We were pleasantly tired after playing soccer all day.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pleasantly
IPA
GB/plˈɛzəntli/
US/plˈɛzəntli/
Syllables & stress
pleas - antly (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (pleas)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pleasantly
- Plural: pleasantlies
Word family
Forms
pleasantlies
noun
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
pleasantry
noun
Expressions
pleasantly cool
1/plˈɛzəntli kˈul/
fixed phrase
comfortably but not too cool
Cool in a nice way, not too cold and not hot.
Examples
- The forest was pleasantly cool after the heat of the city.
- It stays pleasantly cool in the basement, even in summer.
pleasantly drunk
1/plˈɛzəntli dɹˈʌŋk/
fixed phrase
informal
slightly and enjoyably drunk
Slightly drunk in a way that feels relaxed and happy, not sick or out of control.
Examples
- After two glasses of wine, he felt pleasantly drunk but still clear-headed.
- They sat by the fire, pleasantly drunk and laughing at old stories.
pleasantly full
1/plˈɛzəntli fˈʊl/
fixed phrase
comfortably satisfied after eating
Having eaten enough food so that you feel good and not too full.
Examples
- After the small dessert I felt pleasantly full.
- We left the restaurant pleasantly full and relaxed.
pleasantly warm
1/plˈɛzəntli wˈɔɹm/
fixed phrase
comfortably but not too warm
Warm in a nice way, not too hot and not too cold.
Examples
- The evening was pleasantly warm, so we ate outside.
- The water is pleasantly warm, perfect for a long swim.
pleasantly surprised
1/plˈɛzəntli səpɹˈaɪzd/
fixed phrase
unexpectedly happy or satisfied
Feeling happy because something good and unexpected happened.
Examples
- I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food.
- She was pleasantly surprised to receive a promotion.
pleasantly surprised
2/plˈɛzəntli səpɹˈaɪzd/
fixed phrase
happy about an unexpected good result
Feeling happy because something turned out better than you thought it would.
Examples
- I was pleasantly surprised by how friendly everyone was.
- We were pleasantly surprised to find the hotel so clean and modern.
- She was pleasantly surprised when her shy student spoke up in class.