Moderately attractive

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Moderately attractive" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone or something that has a level of attractiveness that is neither high nor low, but rather in the middle range. Example: "She is moderately attractive, with features that are pleasant but not striking."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human Nature

News & Media

Animal Behaviour

TechCrunch

Journal of Business Research

Energy

Huffington Post

Vice

BMC Medical Education

Wiki

The New York Times - Travel

The New Yorker

Thin-Walled Structures

Genetics

BMC Public Health

Journal of Computational Physics

Plosone

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Then the set of 30 faces was divided into three 10-face series with similar distributions of attractiveness (i.e., each series contained some attractive, moderately attractive, and unattractive faces).

Human Nature

Valuations for technology stocks, he said, referring to rising price-to-earnings ratios, "have gone from being moderately attractive to, at best, neutral".

The New York Times

Mr. Ruff looks for companies with moderately attractive yields, generally around 3 percent to 4 percent, and payout ratios, or the proportion of earnings used to cover dividends, of 30 percent to 60 percent.

The New York Times

One boy who was "moderately attractive and seemed interesting," for example, asked, "is it OK if we just chill" when she asked if he wanted to hang out – Nina didn't realize that he meant the euphemistic Netflix and Chill, not getting pizza and watching a movie.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

That is, Trekkies who are willing to overlook brain-lockingly repetitive gameplay, unvaried design, thin storytelling, buggy client software and an almost complete dearth of meaningful social interaction in favor of a mildly diverting, moderately attractive, cleverly episodic collection of simple combat encounters among spaceships and soldiers.

The New York Times - Arts

Exposure to supranormal songs (G phrases) increased maternal investment: compared to females exposed to moderately attractive (Control) or naturally attractive (A) phrases.

Animal Behaviour

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Later we hopped into our own car (a rented Oldsmobile Alero) and headed for Scotty's Landing, an attractive, moderately priced dockside restaurant in Coconut Grove.

The New York Times - Travel

Now there was no place to put her hand, so she leaned over carefully and got down on her hands and knees, but her coat was seriously in the way, and her bag — a flat, attractive, moderately expensive leather bag — thumped at her side.

The New Yorker

Bridget is twenty-three, moderately but not dramatically attractive (one of the few non-stereotypical aspects of the situation, Nell thinks, is Bridget's lack of dramatic attractiveness), and Henry and Bridget had been dating for six months.

The New Yorker

The characteristics of ferritics make them appropriate for structures requiring strong and moderately durable structural elements with attractive metallic surface finishes.

Thin-Walled Structures

We selected 0.50 mM lobeline for subsequent experiments, since it generated moderately strong preferences for aversive and attractive behaviors.

Genetics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "moderately attractive" to convey a nuanced assessment, especially when a more emphatic term like "beautiful" or "stunning" would be an overstatement.

Common error

Be careful not to use "moderately attractive" when the subject is clearly very attractive. This can come across as insincere or even insulting. Choose a more appropriate descriptor like "attractive" or "very attractive" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "moderately attractive" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to describe its level of attractiveness. It indicates a quality that is neither strikingly beautiful nor unattractive, but somewhere in between. This is supported by Ludwig examples where it modifies nouns like "faces", "yields", and "companies".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Moderately attractive" is a common adjective phrase used to describe something or someone with an average or slightly above-average level of attractiveness. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and appears in a variety of contexts, including news media, science, and general writing. While it's useful for providing a balanced assessment, it's important to avoid understatement and choose descriptors that accurately reflect the subject's appeal. Related phrases include "fairly attractive" and "somewhat appealing", offering alternative ways to express a similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Somewhat attractive

Implies a certain degree of attractiveness without being overly strong or pronounced.

Reasonably attractive

Highlights the justification or basis for considering something attractive.

Suitably attractive

Suggests the attractiveness is fitting or appropriate for a specific purpose or context.

Fairly attractive

Expresses a balanced and objective assessment of attractiveness, indicating a positive but not exceptional quality.

Comparatively attractive

Emphasizes the attractiveness in relation to something else, indicating a higher degree of attractiveness than average.

Relatively attractive

Presents the attractiveness in comparison to other things, implying it is more attractive than some alternatives.

Rather attractive

Similar to "quite attractive" but can imply a slightly higher degree of appeal.

Mildly attractive

Indicates a gentle or subtle form of attractiveness, suggesting it is not intense or overwhelming.

Slightly attractive

Indicates a minimal level of attractiveness, suggesting it is just above being unattractive.

Quite attractive

Emphasizes a notable degree of attractiveness, suggesting it is better than average.

FAQs

How can I use "moderately attractive" in a sentence?

You can use "moderately attractive" to describe someone or something that possesses a level of attractiveness that is neither highly striking nor notably unappealing. For instance, "The apartment was "moderately attractive", offering a comfortable living space without extravagant features."

What are some alternatives to saying "moderately attractive"?

Instead of saying "moderately attractive", you could use phrases like "somewhat appealing", "fairly attractive", or "reasonably attractive" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "moderately attractive" the same as "slightly attractive"?

"Moderately attractive" and "slightly attractive" are not the same. "Moderately attractive" implies a more noticeable degree of appeal than "slightly attractive", which suggests a minimal level of attractiveness.

What is the difference between "moderately attractive" and "very attractive"?

"Moderately attractive" indicates a level of appeal that is average or somewhat above average, while "very attractive" implies a significantly higher degree of appeal and striking qualities.