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Meaning & use

stylish

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈstaɪlɪʃ/
US/ˈstaɪlɪʃ/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Having an attractive, up-to-date look that shows good taste in clothes, design or decoration.

    Grammar: Gradable: stylish, more stylish, most stylish. Can come before a noun or after a linking verb: a stylish coat; the coat is stylish.

    Patterns

    • a stylish something
    • look stylish

    She wore a stylish black coat and carried a small leather bag.

    The hotel has a stylish lobby with low sofas and soft lighting.

    He looked stylish without seeming to try.

  2. adjectivecomparable

    Performed with confident flair and polish, so that it is pleasing to watch.

    Grammar: Used of performance or skill, usually before a noun: a stylish win; a stylish player.

    Patterns

    • a stylish performance
    • a stylish victory

    The striker scored a stylish goal from outside the box.

    The team secured a stylish victory in the final.

    It was a stylish performance from the young pianist.

Word forms

comparativemore stylish
superlativemost stylish

Common combinations

a stylish outfit
She put together a stylish outfit from secondhand pieces.
look stylish
You look really stylish in that jacket.
a stylish apartment
They live in a stylish apartment above the old market.
remarkably stylish
The remarkably stylish car turned heads wherever it went.
stylish and comfortable
These shoes are both stylish and comfortable.
a stylish win
It was a stylish win for the home side.

Synonyms and how they differ

fashionable
Fashionable says something is currently popular, while stylish says it looks good whether or not it follows a trend.
chic
Chic is more French-flavored and suggests simple, sophisticated elegance, especially in clothes.
elegant
Elegant points to graceful refinement that can last for years, while stylish is closer to a current, confident look.
trendy
Trendy is more informal and can hint that something is only popular for a short time.

Opposites

unfashionabledowdyfrumpy

Word family

style noun
a particular way of doing or designing something
style verb
to design or arrange in a particular way
stylishly adverb
in a fashionable, attractive way
stylishness noun
the quality of being stylish
stylist noun
a person who arranges hair, clothes or looks professionally

Commonly confused: stylish or stylistic?

stylish vs stylistic

Stylistic relates to the way something is written, designed or performed, as in stylistic choices. It does not mean fashionable.

Practice

Which sentence uses stylish in its usual sense?

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