look prettier than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "look prettier than" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to say that one thing is more attractive than another. For example, "My garden looks prettier than my neighbor's garden."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Pretty women look prettier than plain women.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

As this category matures, manufacturers differentiate their products by making some notebooks look prettier than others.

The New York Times - Tech

I do feel insecure if I see girls who look prettier than me, or if they post really pretty pictures, and I know I won't look as good in any that I post.

The Guardian

When the light from the wall sconce hits her, it's the only moment when Mulligan gets to look prettier than Gosling; when they kiss, it's Gosling's most movie-kiss-like movie kiss since "The Notebook," an MTV Movie Awards Best Kiss winner in 2005.

The New York Times - Magazine

SkyDrive will look prettier than it has before thanks to a handsome new Metro-styled app for Windows 8. It's exactly what you would expect — users can swipe through their remotely-stored files, while third-party applications are able to access those SkyDrive files without any extra work needed from their developers.

TechCrunch

"You look prettier than when I last saw you!" Olkowski exclaimed warmly.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Three scoops looked prettier than one or two.

The New York Times - Magazine

And finally, a dense stand of plants simply looks prettier than bare soil.

The New York Times

A starter of crab gateau topped with jellied and diced Granny Smith apple looked prettier than it tasted (it needed a sharper fruit to cut through that rich, creamed crab), but the main, red mullet and squid, was excellent.

The Guardian - Travel

Galletto, and Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray in the River Cafe Classic Italian Cookbook, thinly slice the aubergine, which looks prettier than the more common diced version, but proves less practical to eat; Caz Hildebrand and Jacob Kenedy's 2cm cubes in the Geometry of Pasta are far easier to scoop up with a forkful of noodles than these rounds, or indeed Marcella Hazan's larger chunks.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

She's purchased a home in Los Angeles, where she lives with her dog, Chloe, and looks prettier than ever".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing appearances, be mindful of the context and the specific type of attractiveness you want to convey. Consider if "prettier" accurately reflects the intended meaning or if a term like "more attractive" or "more beautiful" might be more appropriate.

Common error

Ensure the comparison is clear and avoids being overly subjective or potentially offensive. Provide context or specific attributes when stating something "looks prettier than" something else to avoid misinterpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "look prettier than" functions as a comparative expression, primarily used to describe aesthetic superiority. According to Ludwig, it is grammatically correct and suitable for comparing visual appeal.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "look prettier than" is a grammatically sound and relatively common phrase used to express a comparison of aesthetic appeal. As Ludwig confirms, it's suitable for describing when one thing or person appears more attractive than another. While versatile enough for various contexts, it's crucial to use the phrase mindfully, ensuring the comparison is clear and avoids being overly subjective. Alternative phrases, like "more attractive than" or "more beautiful than", can provide a more nuanced or formal comparison depending on the intended meaning. Based on the source analysis, the phrase is mostly used in News & Media and Wiki contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prettier compared to

Uses "compared to" instead of "than" for the comparison.

more attractive than

Focuses on general attractiveness rather than specifically on being 'prettier'.

more beautiful than

Uses a stronger term, "beautiful", to describe a higher degree of attractiveness.

more gorgeous than

Emphasizes a striking and impressive level of beauty.

lovelier than

Emphasizes a delicate or charming kind of beauty.

more visually appealing than

Focuses on visual appeal rather than strictly beauty.

better looking than

A more general comparison of overall appearance.

finer looking than

An older, somewhat more formal way to say "better looking than".

fairer than

Uses "fairer" implying lighter complexion or a more just appearance.

cuter than

Suggests a more youthful or charming attractiveness.

FAQs

How can I use "look prettier than" in a sentence?

You can use "look prettier than" to compare the aesthetic appeal of two subjects, for example, "This dress makes her "look prettier than" the last one she wore."

What is a more formal alternative to "look prettier than"?

For a more formal tone, consider using "appear more attractive than" or "present a more pleasing aesthetic than". For example, "The revised design appears more attractive than the initial concept".

Is it grammatically correct to say "look more pretty than" instead of "look prettier than"?

While understandable, "look prettier than" is grammatically preferred. "Prettier" is the comparative form of "pretty", making "more pretty" redundant in most contexts.

What words are synonyms for the word 'prettier'?

Synonyms for the word 'prettier' include: "more attractive", "more beautiful", "lovelier", "more gorgeous".