cute

cute — adjective

1. having a pleasant and appealing quality that is often linked to being small, you

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

having a pleasant and appealing quality that is often linked to being small, young, or delicate — for example, a baby's round cheeks, a tiny puppy, or a child's toy.

Example

The kitten was so cute that Kemi could not stop smiling at it.

so + adjective + that + clause for expressing degree

Hao bought a small stuffed panda because he thought it looked cute on his desk.

Common collocations
  • so cute
  • really cute
  • pretty cute
  • too cute
  • awfully cute
  • deadly cute
Synonyms
  • adorable

    stronger emotional warmth; often used for babies and pets

  • lovely

    broader; can describe people, places, or experiences without the 'small' implication

  • sweet

    focuses on gentle, kind qualities rather than physical smallness

  • charming

    more formal; suggests deliberate attractiveness or charisma

Antonyms
  • ugly

    opposite in terms of physical appeal

  • unattractive

    neutral opposite without the 'small/delicate' nuance

Grammar Patterns

be + cute

cute + noun

Usage Note

Commonly used for babies, young animals, and small objects. Can be used for adults, but may sound childish or condescending depending on context.

Common Mistakes

He is a cute man' (for an adult man's appearance).
He is a handsome man.
'cute' is typical for children or young animals; 'handsome' is more natural for adult men.
The movie was cute but also very scary' (for a horror film).
The kitten was cute but the horror movie was not.
'cute' does not suit genres like horror or thriller.

2. behaving in a way that is meant to seem clever or gain an advantage, but which c

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

behaving in a way that is meant to seem clever or gain an advantage, but which comes across as rude, irritating, or dishonest to others.

Example

Hamza tried to be cute by handing in the same essay with a different title.

try + to be cute + by + gerund

The taxi driver got cute with the route and charged Nora twice the normal fare.

get + cute + with + object

Common collocations
  • get cute
  • try to be cute
  • cute remark
  • cute trick
  • don't get cute
Synonyms
  • smart-alecky

    more informal and strongly negative; describes a person who is irritatingly clever

  • sly

    focuses on dishonesty rather than playful cleverness

  • smug

    describes the attitude of self-satisfaction, not the act of being clever

Antonyms
  • straightforward

    opposite in being direct rather than cleverly evasive

  • sincere

    opposite in being genuine rather than manipulative

Grammar Patterns

be + cute

try + to be cute

get + cute + with + noun phrase

Usage Note

Almost always negative in tone. Common in informal spoken contexts when accusing someone of being dishonest or manipulative in a supposedly playful way. 'Don't get cute with me' is a fixed phrase meaning 'do not try to trick me.'

Common Mistakes

She was cute by changing the subject when I asked about the money.
She got cute by changing the subject when I asked about the money.
'get cute' is the natural verb for this meaning.
He is a cute salesman who always tells jokes.
He is a cute salesman who uses jokes to avoid answering real questions.
without context showing annoyance, the sentence sounds positive.

cute — noun

Word family

  • cuteness
    nounB1
  • cutely
    adverbB2
  • cutesy
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe something pleasing, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Cute' is the most specific to smallness and youth — it fits a baby rabbit or a child's drawing but can sound odd for a grand building. 'Adorable' adds a layer of emotional warmth; it suggests the observer feels a strong impulse to hug or protect. 'Lovely' is more general and can describe people, places, weather, or music without the 'tiny' implication. 'Charming' leans toward social elegance — a person with a charming smile has deliberate appeal, not childlike sweetness. 'Pretty' is the most common for general visual attractiveness and is neutral in register. For a tiny kitten, 'cute' and 'adorable' are most natural. For a sunset, 'lovely' or 'pretty' would be better choices.

cute ↗adorable ↗lovely ↗charming ↗pretty ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • cute baby
  • cute puppy
  • cute dress
  • cute smile
  • cute trick
  • cute remark

Adverbs

Phrases

  • too cute for words
  • cute as a button
  • don't get cute with me

Prepositions

  • in a cute way
  • cute with... (as in 'get cute with')

Etymology

LatinEnglish

'Cute' began as a shortened form of 'acute' (meaning 'sharp' or 'clever') in the 1700s. By the 1800s, it had shifted from 'clever, shrewd' toward 'attractive, pretty,' especially in American English. The negative sense ('annoyingly clever') preserves the older meaning of sharp-wittedness, while the noun form emerged in the 1900s as a way to describe overly sweet or affected styles of behaviour.