Part of the beauty of the English language is that it has a lot of words with subtle differences.
So what are some of the alternative words you can use to describe a beautiful woman?
A word about beauty
Before we list our choices, it’s important to remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
In other words, everyone has different tastes. Because of that using words like “beautiful” and “perfect” to describe someone doesn’t tell you much.
Even poets have struggled to come up with ways to describe the woman they love, and have found some of the more cliché turns of phrase tiresome and unusable.
Shakespeare, for instance, has a famous sonnet (Sonnet 130) in which he ironically states that his lover’s eyes “are nothing like the sun,” and that her lips are not as red as coral.
He even goes so far as to say that instead of smelling like perfume, her breath “reeks.”
If you’re trying to describe physical beauty, then, try for the unexpected and memorable.
Although, let’s be honest, it’s probably not a good idea to describe anyone as having breath that reeks, let alone someone you’re trying to impress!
Instead, try one of the words in the list below, all of which highlight different aspects of what makes someone beautiful.
Of course, those differences in taste also mean that if the words in this list don’t quite work for you, or the person you’re trying to describe, that’s perfectly normal.
With that out of the way, here are ten words that are stronger than beautiful (but aren’t perfect).
1. Stunning
Stunning is used to describe someone who is very attractive.
It has its origin in the verb “to stun,” literally meaning “to knock unconscious” or “to daze.”
You might think that makes this a strange way to compliment someone, but think of it more as “so pretty you’re dazed” and it starts to make sense.
This word is great for someone whose beauty is in your face and unapologetic.
Example
2. Enthralling
The word “enthralling” comes from the word “thrall,” which is a historical word meaning servant or slave.
If someone is “enthralling,” then her beauty has metaphorically made you into her servant.
It’s a great choice if the person you’re describing is so beautiful you feel you have no choice but to do what she says, or otherwise wish to do her bidding.
Example
3. Breath-taking
This one is pretty self-explanatory.
If someone is breath-taking, that means she takes your breath away.
Why does she take your breath away? Because she’s so beautiful, of course.
Example
4. Radiant
When someone is radiant, her beauty shines through her surroundings, making her stand out no matter where she goes.
This word is also used for a happy kind of beauty.
For instance, some people say pregnant women or those who have recently married or fallen in love have a “glow” to them.
Pregnancy can actually be really hard, but that aside, it’s true that it does make some women so happy that they might be called radiant.
Similarly, if a person’s cheerful, smiling nature is part of her beauty, radiant might be a stronger word than just “beautiful.”
Example
5. Exquisite
Unlike the take-no-prisoners subtext of “stunning,” if you describe someone as exquisite it implies that she has a fragile, delicate kind of beauty.
This word has its origin in the Latin words for “sought out,” ex (out) and quaerere (seek), but its meaning in English comes to us from Middle English, where it carried the meaning of “precise.”
The interior workings of a clock, for example, or an especially detailed painting, might be called “exquisite” because of the amount of detail and precision their creator has put into them.
From there, it also picked up a connotation of fragility.
When the word is applied to people now, it means someone whose beauty is delicate and perhaps precise.
Example
6. Mesmerizing
Mesmerize has its origin in a synonym for hypnotize. Like that more magical word, “mesmerize” describes what happens when you grab someone’s attention and don’t let go of it, so that all they can focus on is you.
When describing someone’s physical attractiveness, it’s her beauty that does the mesmerizing, making this adjective another good way to describe someone whose looks you just can’t forget about, or have a hard time looking away from.
Example
7. Sublime
The word sublime has fallen out of favour since its heyday in the 1800s, but has seen a bit of a resurgence in the last few decades.
Originally used to refer to something that’s exceptionally pure in spirit, by the 1800s the word meant that something expressed grandeur or a type of vast, powerful beauty.
The word now refers more generally to physical or other kinds of beauty, and might just be considered to mean “exceptional.”
Famous pieces of classical music, for instance, or paintings that inspire awe in the viewer, might be called “sublime.”
If a person’s beauty is sublime, it means her looks are similarly exceptional.
Example
8. Divine
Like “sublime,” this word has spiritual origins. If anything, the spiritual meaning of “divine” is even more obvious.
The word “divine” can also be used to refer to beauty that is so outstanding it’s almost godly. It can also be used in a more general way to just mean something that is extremely good.
Example
9. Striking
This word is another that has its origin in violence and yet carries a clear implication of exceptional beauty.
Although being “struck” by something may still be used to describe a physical blow, the word has a long history of use as a metaphor.
For instance, the phrase “I was struck by a thought” suggests a thought that occurred with some force.
By the same token, a person who can be described as striking, or strikingly beautiful, likely has strong facial features that stick in the mind.
Example
10. Ethereal
The last word we’ll discuss in detail in this post carries almost the opposite meaning of “striking.”
If someone’s beauty is ethereal, that means it’s appears very delicate or fragile. Like “divine,” it carries a distinct sense that it’s too good to last long in this world.
“Ethereal” is a great way to describe someone with very refined features whose beauty seems like it might fade away because of how unreal and near to perfection it is.
Example
Bonus words and another approach to beauty
If the words in the list above don’t work for you, try one of these on for size: enthralling, lovely, charming, adorable, compelling, unforgettable, remarkable, ethereal, relentless, memorable, amazing, elfin, arresting.
Another neat trick to describe a woman’s beauty, in particular, is to talk about the ways she doesn’t fit stereotypical standards of beauty (which, to be honest, are often harmful to women as a whole).
Focus on what makes the specific person you’re talking about beautiful to you, whether it’s her appearance or not, and you’ll stand a much better chance of explaining exactly what makes her stand out.
Last but not least, if you have still not found the perfect word to describe someone, resort to our article “The 300 Best Adjectives to Describe Someone” and try your luck there!
Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.