The word ‘nice’ is a versatile English adjective. It can be used to describe almost anything – physical objects, people, experiences, smells, sounds, ideas… No wonder there are so many synonyms for nice out there!
But its versatility can also be its downfall. You may find yourself using the word ‘nice’ too often, making your vocabulary repetitive. Or, you might end up sounding boring or non-descriptive because you describe something as ‘nice’ when another word would give much more meaning.
So, here we will look at some better words for nice which you can use in different circumstances, depending on the thing you wish to describe.
Synonyms – words that have the same or a similar meaning – can make your vocabulary much richer and more nuanced. However, it’s important to learn the proper meaning of each word to be sure you’re using it correctly. Just because two words are synonyms of nice, it does not mean they are necessarily interchangeable.
Synonyms for nice
So, how do you go about finding another word for nice that is suitable to use in a particular context? You should certainly look in a thesaurus. However, as mentioned above, not every word that is listed as a synonym for nice will be appropriate to use in your sentence.
For example, we could describe a ‘nice view’ as ‘spectacular’ and a ‘nice person’ as ‘friendly’. But you wouldn’t talk about a ‘friendly view’ or a ‘spectacular person’.
This is why it is important to not only learn different words for nice, but also know when it’s appropriate to use them.
More descriptive words for nice
Another reason why you should consider using synonyms for nice is that they will add more description and meaning to what you say.
Consider this conversation:
James: Hi Paul, did you have a good holiday?
Paul: Yes thanks, it was really nice.
What does this mean?
Paul may have spent a week relaxing on a beach or he may have been trekking through a jungle. ‘Nice’ just doesn’t give James enough information. A more descriptive word such as ‘relaxing’ or ‘fun’ would at least give James some idea of what the holiday was like.
The use of the word ‘nice’ in this kind of context can also suggest a lack of enthusiasm. James might think that perhaps Paul didn’t enjoy his holiday all that much.
Or how about this:
Sonia: What did you do last night?
Lizzie: We went to see a nice show at the theater.
Again, there could be a better word for nice which describes what the show was like. Was it funny? Moving? Dramatic?
Next time you find yourself wanting to use ‘nice’ to describe something, pause for a moment and see if you can think of a different word that would express your thoughts in a more descriptive way.
How to find a better word for nice
Here is an exercise you can try to help expand your vocabulary and avoid saying ‘nice’ too much.
1. Think of five things that you could describe as nice
For example:
- A cake
- A house
- A friend
- A vacation
- A song
Try to make the five things as different as possible.
2. Think of alternative adjectives for these things
For each of the five things, think of five different adjectives for nice which are more descriptive. You can look up synonyms for nice in a thesaurus to get you started.
Continuing from the words above, we could have the following alternative words for nice:
- Cake: delicious, tasty, lovely, pretty, yummy
- House: beautiful, cosy, spacious, lovely, homey
- Friend: kind, friendly, considerate, polite, sweet
- Vacation: relaxing, restful, fun, wonderful, enjoyable
- Song: pleasant, tuneful, melodious, calming, catchy
There’s no need to stop at five adjectives if you can think of more than that.
So, you can see that the word ‘nice’ can be interpreted in so many different ways. Additionally, one person’s idea of whether something is nice may be different to another’s.
Nice and …
There are a couple of occasions where we use ‘nice’ in a fixed expression in English. In this case it is ‘nice and …’ followed by an adjective. For example:
- Your bedroom is nice and clean, thank you for tidying it.
- That sweatshirt looks nice and comfy.
- This tea is nice and hot.
In all of these examples, you are saying that the subject is nice, pleasant, enjoyable because of the adjective that follows. I.e. the sweatshirt looks like it is nice because it is comfortable. You consider the tea to be nice because you like hot tea.
Nice as an exclamation
Finally, you may hear ‘nice’ used as an exclamation of approval or congratulation, for example:
Jo: I came top of my class in the science test!
Dad: Nice!
Chris: I just got a new company car; it’s the latest model with all the extra features.
Steve: Nice!
In this case, there is no need to really search for synonyms of nice. Although quite informal, it shows that you appreciate the achievement or accomplishment the person has just told you about.
Final thoughts
If you’re worried about repetitive or lackluster adjectives in your writing, ‘nice’ is definitely a good word to target. Although there is nothing wrong with it in certain situations, there is usually a better word for nice that would convey your meaning more effectively.
You can start by finding synonyms for nice in a thesaurus, but do always be careful that the alternative adjective you select is appropriate for the context.
You may also want to check out some synonyms for very, too, as this is another word that suffers from repetitive usage in English.
Our article about -ed and -ing adjectives has many more examples of words that you can use to describe people and things more creatively.
