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Beautiful vs. Handsome — What's the Difference?

Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 24, 2023
"Beautiful" generally refers to an aesthetic that is pleasing and impressive, often used for women, nature, or art. "Handsome" typically describes a rugged, classic attractiveness, primarily used for men or structures.
Beautiful vs. Handsome — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Beautiful and Handsome

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Key Differences

Beautiful and Handsome are both adjectives used to describe something or someone that is aesthetically pleasing. However, the context and connotations they carry can be different. While Beautiful is a broader term that can apply to people, landscapes, art, and other entities, Handsome often has a more specific usage.
Historically, Beautiful has been predominantly used to describe women, suggesting grace, elegance, or a delicate attractiveness. It can also describe a sunset, a song, or even a sentiment. Handsome, while it can describe a woman, is more frequently associated with men, indicating a kind of rugged, classic attractiveness.
It's not just people that these words can describe. Architecturally, a building might be described as Handsome when it has a dignified and stately appearance. On the other hand, Beautiful might be used for a structure or landscape that evokes a sense of wonder or pleasure.
The perception of what is Beautiful or Handsome can be subjective and varies across cultures and individuals. Additionally, as language evolves, the distinction between these words has become less rigid. Nowadays, it's not uncommon to hear someone describe a man as Beautiful or a woman as Handsome.
Both Beautiful and Handsome carry positive connotations and are often used to express admiration. While the traditional boundaries between their usages still exist, they continue to overlap in contemporary contexts, signifying a change in societal standards of beauty and attractiveness.
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Comparison Chart

Traditional Gender Association

More associated with women.
More associated with men.

Usage

Broad: people, nature, art, feelings, etc.
Specific: often men, architecture, or dignified appearance.

Connotations

Delicate, graceful, wondrous.
Rugged, classic, dignified.

Flexibility

Can describe intangible and tangible things.
Often tangible, like physical appearance or structures.

Cultural Evolution

Has retained broader applicability.
Expanding to describe women more often than in the past.

Compare with Definitions

Beautiful

Pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically.
The painting was beautiful.

Handsome

Having an attractive, well-proportioned, and imposing appearance.
The actor was strikingly handsome.

Beautiful

Of a very high standard; excellent.
She gave a beautiful performance.

Handsome

Large in quantity or size; substantial.
He made a handsome profit from the deal.

Beautiful

Possessing qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction.
The sky looked beautiful at dusk.

Handsome

Executed with skill and grace.
She made a handsome gesture.

Beautiful

Lovely in appearance.
She looked beautiful in that dress.

Handsome

Of a size, design, or proportion that is aesthetically pleasing.
The cathedral is a handsome structure.

Beautiful

Delightful in all aspects.
It was a beautiful experience.

Handsome

Pleasing in form or appearance, especially having strong or distinguished features
A handsome man.
A woman with a handsome face.

Beautiful

Having qualities that delight or appeal to the senses and often the mind.

Handsome

Having stately or attractive proportions or appearance; impressive
A handsome manor.
A sleek, handsome car.

Beautiful

Excellent; wonderful
Hit a beautiful shot from the tee.

Handsome

Large in amount or measure; generous or considerable
A handsome reward.
Won by a handsome margin.

Beautiful

Used to express approval or delight.

Handsome

Marked by or requiring skill or dexterity
Did some handsome maneuvers on the skating rink.

Beautiful

Attractive and possessing beauty.
Anyone who has ever met her thought she was absolutely beautiful.
There's a beautiful lake by the town.

Handsome

Appropriate or fitting
A handsome location for the new school.

Beautiful

Good, admirable.
He was a beautiful person; he would drop everything to help you.
You've done a beautiful thing today.

Handsome

Having a pleasing appearance, good-looking, attractive, particularly
That is one handsome tree you've got there.

Beautiful

(of the weather) Pleasant; clear.
It's beautiful outside, let's go for a walk.

Handsome

Attractively manly, having a pleasing face and overall effect.
I was tripping over his own feet coming in out of the surf.

Beautiful

Well executed.
The skater performed a beautiful axel.

Handsome

Statuesque, beautiful in a masculine or otherwise imposing way.
She was either handsome or her uniform created a flattering effect but—being very nearsighted—he couldn't tell from this distance.

Beautiful

Someone who is beautiful. Can be used as a term of address.
The man was faithful to his wife, ignoring the many blonde beautifuls who surrounded him wherever he went.
Hey, beautiful!

Handsome

Good, appealing, appropriate.

Beautiful

Having the qualities which constitute beauty; pleasing to the sight or the mind.
A circle is more beautiful than a square; a square is more beautiful than a parallelogram.

Handsome

(of weather) Fine, clear and bright.

Beautiful

Delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration;
A beautiful child
Beautiful country
A beautiful painting
A beautiful theory
A beautiful party

Handsome

Suitable or fit in action; marked with propriety and ease; appropriate.
A handsome style

Beautiful

Aesthetically pleasing

Handsome

Generous or noble in character.
Handsome is as handsome does.

Beautiful

(of weather) highly enjoyable;
What a beautiful day

Handsome

Ample; moderately large.
A handsome salary

Handsome

Dexterous; skillful.

Handsome

To render handsome.

Handsome

Dexterous; skillful; handy; ready; convenient; - applied to things as persons.
That they [engines of war] be both easy to be carried and handsome to be moved and turned about.
For a thief it is so handsome as it may seem it was first invented for him.

Handsome

Agreeable to the eye or to correct taste; having a pleasing appearance or expression; attractive; having symmetry and dignity; comely; - expressing more than pretty, and less than beautiful; as, a handsome man or woman; a handsome garment, house, tree, horse.

Handsome

Suitable or fit in action; marked with propriety and ease; graceful; becoming; appropriate; as, a handsome style, etc.
Easiness and handsome address in writing.

Handsome

Evincing a becoming generosity or nobleness of character; liberal; generous.
Handsome is as handsome does.

Handsome

Ample; moderately large.
He . . . accumulated a handsome sum of money.

Handsome

To render handsome.

Handsome

Pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion;
A fine-looking woman
A good-looking man
Better-looking than her sister
Very pretty but not so extraordinarily handsome
Our southern women are well-favored

Handsome

Given or giving freely;
Was a big tipper
The bounteous goodness of God
Bountiful compliments
A freehanded host
A handsome allowance
Saturday's child is loving and giving
A liberal backer of the arts
A munificent gift
Her fond and openhanded grandfather

Handsome

Appropriate or fitting; becoming.
It was a handsome tribute to the veteran.

Common Curiosities

Is "Beautiful" only for living things?

No, Beautiful can describe landscapes, art, music, feelings, and more.

Can "Handsome" be used for women?

Yes, though traditionally it's more associated with men, it can describe women, especially implying a classic or dignified beauty.

Can buildings be described as "Handsome"?

Yes, a stately or dignified building can be described as Handsome.

Can landscapes be "Handsome"?

Less commonly, but yes, especially if implying a rugged or grand beauty.

Can "Beautiful" describe feelings?

Yes, e.g., "a beautiful sentiment."

Does "Beautiful" always imply delicacy?

No, while it can, beautiful can also describe grand or awe-inspiring sights.

Which word is more versatile?

Beautiful has broader applicability, while Handsome is more specific.

Is it okay to call a man "Beautiful"?

Absolutely, language and perceptions of beauty evolve, and it's acceptable in contemporary contexts.

Can "Handsome" refer to quantities?

Yes, e.g., "a handsome sum of money."

Is "Handsome" always about appearance?

Mostly, but it can also imply other attributes like generosity.

Is "Handsome" a more mature descriptor?

It often implies a mature, classic attractiveness but can be used broadly.

Are perceptions of "Handsome" and "Beautiful" cultural?

Yes, beauty standards can vary across cultures and time.

Can you describe nature as "Handsome"?

Yes, especially if indicating a rugged or majestic beauty.

Which is stronger, "Beautiful" or "Handsome"?

Neither is inherently stronger; both express admiration, but in different contexts.

Can art be "Handsome"?

Less commonly, but if implying dignified or classic beauty, yes.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

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