cute

adjective

ˈkyüt How to pronounce cute (audio)
Definition of cutenext
1
as in beautiful
very pleasing to look at a cute baby that no one could resist cooing over

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means she's very nice, but she's not afraid to get cute when there's something she wants

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in flippant
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred we're having a serious discussion here, so cut the cute remarks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cute Wear them with sneakers on a travel day, then swap in boots and a cute top for dinner. — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 29 Sep. 2026 Most of the audience shots this year are screaming fans, whose enthusiasm is cute but not especially interesting. — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026 Short Angled Shag Chopping your hair is easy when this cute shag is an option. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026 The ageless bag is stylish yet unfussy, comes in 11 shades, and can be monogrammed with your initials in cute, colorful print for the full Alex Mill effect. — Jordan Julian, InStyle, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cute
  1. beautiful
  2. cunning
  3. playful
  4. lovely
  5. slick
  6. smart
  7. gorgeous
  8. subtle
Adjective
  • With that, Dorinda gathers everyone (except for Chanel Ayan, who is too beautiful for the cold) out into the freezing night for the fireworks that end this celebration.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Indeed, this celestial crustacean has no star brighter than 4th magnitude and its only claims to fame are its membership in the zodiac and beautiful M44.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of beautiful
Adjective
  • Magpies are opportunistic scavengers, incredibly cunning and deceitful and capable of calculated deception.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Last week, Alan Cumming’s cunning competition empire The Traitors unsheathed its most diabolical twist yet.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • Johnson, who previously hosted SNL in 2015 and again in 2020, appears in a playful new promo with the five-piece Baltimore hardcore band and comedian Ben Marshall.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Major brands including BaubleBar and Crocs are putting their own spin on football fandom with playful collaborations and unexpected finds.
    — Casey DelBasso, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • The Brasserie beside it, a continuation of the same vibe, focuses on French dishes with some good vegetarian options, and hosts a breakfast buffet with lovely local products.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The lovely south-facing casement windows in the living room are original; at the other end of the apartment is enough room for a second bedroom or office, plus a closet).
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of lovely
Adjective
  • That calculation is pushing retail technology toward fitting-room innovation rather than slick checkout flows alone.
    — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
  • It’s paired with a blend of lightweight sunflower, olive, and jojoba oils that melt down makeup, sunscreen, and excess sebum without leaving skin feeling slick or weighed down.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of slick
Adjective
  • There will always be smart people, tech people, who don't have the world's best interests in mind.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And now there is Trudie’s Tavern, which opened this past summer in Carroll Gardens, a smart little restaurant that’s the most ambitious, and the most accomplished, of the three.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of smart
Adjective
  • There’s his drop-dead gorgeous spouse, a huge welcoming home, darling children, and a pillar-of-the-community job that gives him a clean conscience.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The book is full of gorgeous photos of their projects, including their own homes (Bunny’s mossy green-colored library, for example), plus their inspirations and design philosophies.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of gorgeous
Adjective
  • Poindexter featured his three daughters in his first campaign advertisement for the general election, taking a subtle dig at Miller.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Later still, we are introduced to Satoko Iijima (Ishida), who again shares many defining features with her two namesakes, albeit with just enough subtle differences to keep the audience on the back foot.
    — James Marsh, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of subtle

Browse Nearby Words

cut (down)
cute
cuteness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cute. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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