good-looking

good-looking — adjective

1. describes a person whose face and body are pleasant to look at

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

describes a person whose face and body are pleasant to look at

Example

Hao is a good-looking young man with dark hair and a warm smile.

good-looking before noun describing a person

Amani looked really attractive in her blue silk dress at the dinner party.

linking verb + adjective describing appearance

Common collocations
  • good-looking man
  • good-looking woman
  • good-looking person
  • good-looking actor
  • good-looking couple
Synonyms
  • handsome

    usually describes men; suggests strong, regular facial features

  • pretty

    usually describes women and children; suggests delicate, pleasant features

  • attractive

    broader term; can describe physical appeal or personal charm

  • gorgeous

    stronger and more informal than good-looking; suggests stunning beauty

Antonyms
  • ugly

    direct opposite; can be rude in some contexts

  • plain

    milder opposite; suggests ordinary, not striking appearance

Common Mistakes

He is good-look
He is good-looking.
the compound form does not drop the ending.
She is very good-look
She is very good-looking.
the -ing ending is always needed.

2. describes an object such as a car, watch, or piece of furniture that has a desig

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes an object such as a car, watch, or piece of furniture that has a design people find enjoyable to look at

Example

The new electric car is sleek and good-looking, with smooth curved lines.

good-looking describing a car (object)

João bought a good-looking leather briefcase for his first day at the office.

good-looking before noun describing a product

Common collocations
  • good-looking car
  • good-looking watch
  • good-looking house
  • good-looking furniture
  • good-looking building
Synonyms
  • elegant

    suggests refined, stylish design rather than simple visual appeal

  • sleek

    specifically suggests smooth, shiny, modern design

  • stylish

    emphasises that the object follows current fashion or design trends

Antonyms
  • ugly

    direct opposite for the appearance of objects

3. used when talking about an offer or deal that catches your interest because it p

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

used when talking about an offer or deal that catches your interest because it promises good results or a clear benefit

Example

The job offer was good-looking — high salary, good benefits, and flexible hours.

good-looking describing an offer

Reema received a good-looking proposal from a major investment firm last week.

good-looking before noun describing a business proposal

Common collocations
  • good-looking offer
  • good-looking deal
  • good-looking proposal
  • good-looking contract
Synonyms
  • attractive

    more formal and broader in use; works in both casual and formal contexts

  • promising

    focuses on future potential rather than immediate appeal

  • tempting

    suggests the offer is hard to refuse, with a slightly stronger emotional pull

Antonyms

Usage Note

This sense is informal and less common. It typically appears in spoken or casual business contexts rather than formal writing. The subject is usually an offer, deal, contract, or proposal.

Common Mistakes

This good-looking idea...
This promising idea...
good-looking is not used for abstract concepts like ideas; use 'promising' or 'attractive' instead.

Word family

  • looks
    nounB1
  • good looks
    nounB1
  • better-looking
    adjectiveB1
  • best-looking
    adjectiveB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe physical appeal, but they differ in usage and strength. Handsome is most often used for men and suggests strong, well-proportioned features; pretty is normally used for women and children and implies delicate, pleasing features. Attractive is the broadest term and can describe physical charm as well as personality or charisma — it works for any gender and any age. Gorgeous is the most informal and strongest of the four, suggesting beauty that is striking and almost overwhelming. For example: 'The handsome actor walked the red carpet in a sharp suit.' 'The little girl wore a pretty pink dress to the party.' 'Her warm, confident manner made her very attractive to everyone she met.' 'The bride looked absolutely gorgeous in her wedding gown.'

handsome ↗pretty ↗attractive ↗gorgeous ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • good-looking for one's age

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Good-looking is a compound adjective formed from 'good' (Old English gōd, meaning 'excellent, virtuous') and 'looking' (the present participle of 'look', from Old English lōcian, meaning 'to see, gaze'). It has been used since the 15th century to describe someone or something with a pleasing appearance.