Difference Between Attractive and Pretty

Attractive vs Pretty

Though you may not see it at first, there is a difference between attractive and pretty. We have to pay attention to that difference. Now, when describing people and paying compliments we use a range of words. Attractive and pretty are also two such words that are used for this very purpose. However, even though these words are rather similar, this does not denote they aresynonyms. There are minute differences between these words. For instance, while the word attractive refers to a person who is appealing or having features that arouse interest, the word pretty denotes that a person is appealing in an endearing way. This article attempts to highlight the differences between these words through a detailed description of the two terms.

What does Attractive mean?

The word attractive can simply be defined as appealing to the senses, sexually appealing or else having qualities that arouse interest. This can be used f or people and also for objects as well. When we say she is very attractive, it suggests that the person being referred to is appealing to the speaker. This appeal could be either sexual or aesthetic in nature. A person can be attractive not merely due to his or her physical appearance, but also because of thepersonality, the manner of speech, expressions, etc. In a way, this is rathersubjectivebecause even though a man or woman looks attractive to a single person this notion might not be shared by others.

Thisadjectiveis not only used when referring to people, but can also be used for other objects. For example, if we say ‘I had a very attractive offer from a marketing firm‘, the word attractive is used in a different context. In this case, it suggests that the speaker was offered a good position in the company. The word attractive is used to highlight the appeal of the offer. This could either be monetary or else in the provision of facilities and working conditions.

What does Pretty mean?

Pretty can be defined as attractive in a delicate or endearing way. We often associate this adjective with babies, young girls, and also for certain objects. For example:

The girl in the pink dress looks really pretty.

As stated in the example above, the word pretty when used in describing people highlight that the person being referred to looks nice, but this is not in the same manner as in the case of ‘attractive’. This is in a more delicate way. Also, the word pretty is much more focused on complimenting the outward appearance of the person whereas, in the case of attractive, it does not always refer to the outward appearance, but can take different directions. However, unlike the word attractive, pretty does not indicate a sexual appeal.

What is the difference between Attractive and Pretty?

• Attractive can simply be defined as appealing to the senses, sexually appealing or else having qualities that arouse interest.

• Pretty can be defined as attractive in a delicate or endearing way.

• The main difference is that while the word pretty is used to describe the outward appearance of a person, the word attractive has a wider scope, which ranges from appearance to personality.

• Also, while the word pretty suggests appeal in a delicate manner, attractive suggests appeal in a sexual manner.

Images Courtesy:

1. Girl in a pink dressbyChris Hunkeler(CC BY-SA 2.0)
2. Attractive Eyesvia Pixabay