nice
1 of 2adjective
ˈnīs 
nicer; nicest
1
: polite, kind
a very nice person
That's nice of you to say.
2
a
: pleasing, agreeable
a nice time
a nice person
b
: appropriate, fitting
not a nice word for a formal occasion
She always wears nice clothes.
c
: well-executed
nice shot
3
a
: socially acceptable : well-bred
from a nice family
b
: virtuous, respectable
… I met nice girls whose skirts reached the ground.
Jack London
Jack London4
: possessing, marked by, or demanding great or excessive precision (see precision entry 1 sense 2a) and delicacy
nice measurements
a nice distinction between these two words
5
a
: showing fastidious or finicky tastes : particular
too nice a palate to enjoy junk food
b
: exacting in requirements or standards : punctilious
a nice code of honor
6
obsolete : trivial
7
obsolete
a
: wanton, dissolute
b
: coy, reticent
nicely
ˈnīs-lē
adverb niceness noun
nice
2 of 2adverb
informal
: in a nice or pleasing way
They plan to fix up the place real nice.
He still had his bald spots, but the fur that he did have cleaned up nice. Kate DiCamillo
Kate DiCamilloIn fact, the action is part of what made the findings redundant. The action mattered because it has, for the past two years, forced Microsoft to play nice. [=to behave nicely; to be cooperative and unaggressive in dealing with others] Gary Rivlin
Gary RivlinBipartisanship may also be elusive if it means a hostile GOP majority has to play nice with a President it has tried to kick out of office. Amy Borrus et al.
Amy Borrus et al.
Synonyms
Adjective
- befitting
- correct
- de rigueur
- decent
- decorous
- genteel
- polite
- proper
- respectable
- seemly
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective I hope you all had a nice time. It's so nice to see you again. It's nice to be back home. It's nice to know that you're all right. It would be nice to try something different. We had a very nice dinner. “Hello, my name is Sara.” “It's nice to meet you, Sara.” It's nice to see you, Luis. How have you been? She wears the nicest clothes. He looks nice in his new suit. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Nick Baumgardner, Detroit Free Press, 30 Oct. 2017 And there’s a nice jumping off point here in the numbers that were presented to the general assembly in Manhattan this week, and that The MMQB obtained. Albert Breer, SI.com, 19 Oct. 2017 In southern Ohio, the triple nickel-Route 555-is a nice, long, windy road. Grant Segall, cleveland.com, 19 Oct. 2017 The cod taco was unexpectedly and deliciously spicy with a nice, lingering after-burn. Alaska Dispatch News, 18 Oct. 2017 And Landon executes some nice, albeit arbitrary stylistic flourishes that draw attention to the filmmaking process. Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader, 25 Oct. 2017 Our teacher is a nice, relaxed guy who tells the class to get onstage for a warm-up exercise and asks us to name our favorite movie. Katie Sharer, Los Angeles Magazine, 20 Oct. 2017 Must be nice to go through life as a billionaire dreamer. Gregg Doyel, Indianapolis Star, 2 Nov. 2017 Crushing your own spices is nice, but we like a finer consistency too. Alex Delany, Bon Appetit, 31 Oct. 2017 See More
Adjective
But a nice, simple start for a quarterback who simply took what was there and played his role. Nick Baumgardner, Detroit Free Press, 30 Oct. 2017 And there’s a nice jumping off point here in the numbers that were presented to the general assembly in Manhattan this week, and that The MMQB obtained. Albert Breer, SI.com, 19 Oct. 2017 In southern Ohio, the triple nickel-Route 555-is a nice, long, windy road. Grant Segall, cleveland.com, 19 Oct. 2017 The cod taco was unexpectedly and deliciously spicy with a nice, lingering after-burn. Alaska Dispatch News, 18 Oct. 2017 And Landon executes some nice, albeit arbitrary stylistic flourishes that draw attention to the filmmaking process. Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader, 25 Oct. 2017 Our teacher is a nice, relaxed guy who tells the class to get onstage for a warm-up exercise and asks us to name our favorite movie. Katie Sharer, Los Angeles Magazine, 20 Oct. 2017 Must be nice to go through life as a billionaire dreamer. Gregg Doyel, Indianapolis Star, 2 Nov. 2017 Crushing your own spices is nice, but we like a finer consistency too. Alex Delany, Bon Appetit, 31 Oct. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, foolish, wanton, from Anglo-French, silly, simple, from Latin nescius ignorant, from nescire not to know — more at nescience
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7a
Adverb
circa 1544, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing nice
Kids Definition
nice
adjective
ˈnīs
nicer; nicest
1
: pleasing, pleasant
nice weather
I had a nice time.
2
: kind, polite, and friendly
a nice person
3
: of good quality
It's a nice place to live.
4
: done very well
Nice work!
5
: well behaved
nice children
Geographical Definition
Nice
geographical name
ˈnēs
variants or ancient Nicaea
nī-ˈsē-ə
city and port on the Mediterranean Sea in southeastern France population 343,304
nice
adjective
1
as in polite
following the established traditions of refined society and good taste had nice manners Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- polite
- proper
- respectable
- satisfactory
- acceptable
- decent
- correct
- elegant
- decorous
- adequate
- formal
- dress
- befitting
- genteel
- gracious
- seemly
- dignified
- tolerable
- de rigueur
- relevant
- apt
- congenial
- allowed
- prim
- dressy
- harmonious
- permitted
- compatible
- authorized
- material
- priggish
- stiff
- kosher
- stuffy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- improper
- inappropriate
- unsatisfactory
- unacceptable
- indecent
- unseemly
- informal
- incorrect
- casual
- intolerable
- unbecoming
- shabby
- indelicate
- tacky
- ungenteel
- indecorous
- forbidden
- seedy
- barred
- prohibited
- awkward
- grungy
- disallowed
- proscribed
- gauche
- banned
- ungraceful
- outlawed
- interdicted
2
as in pleasant
giving pleasure or contentment to the mind or senses a cool glass of lemonade sure would be nice Synonyms & Similar Words
- pleasant
- delightful
- delicious
- enjoyable
- sweet
- good
- pleasing
- satisfying
- pretty
- welcome
- heavenly
- pleasurable
- comfortable
- tasty
- jolly
- tempting
- soothing
- amusing
- happy
- blessed
- comforting
- agreeable
- grateful
- congenial
- dreamy
- desirable
- luscious
- gratifying
- attractive
- darling
- fascinating
- charming
- delectable
- palatable
- savory
- felicitous
- cheerful
- inviting
- delightsome
- entertaining
- savoury
- enviable
- alluring
- blissful
- dulcet
- calming
- blest
- gracious
- enchanting
- cheery
- amiable
- glad
- goodly
- kindly
- personable
- hospitable
- joyous
- affable
- relishable
- genial
- recreative
- exhilarating
- ecstatic
- diverting
- good-natured
- intoxicating
- rapturous
- euphoric
- felicific
- gemütlich
- nirvanic
- elating
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unpleasant
- disagreeable
- unwelcome
- miserable
- disgusting
- horrid
- ghastly
- unpalatable
- obnoxious
- flat
- distasteful
- abominable
- boring
- sad
- offensive
- repulsive
- dull
- tedious
- repugnant
- wretched
- hellish
- hateful
- yucky
- vile
- odious
- irksome
- unsavory
- commonplace
- repellent
- abhorrent
- unhappy
- detestable
- gloomy
- insipid
- pleasureless
- tragic
- annoying
- depressing
- bilious
- dreary
- dismal
- regrettable
- stale
- dissatisfying
- god-awful
- mournful
- deplorable
- irritating
- sorrowful
- yukky
- displeasing
- doleful
- disheartening
- lamentable
- joyless
- lugubrious
- revulsive
- heartbreaking
- tragical
- vexing
- aggravating
- exasperating
- repellant
- hostile
- perturbing
- disturbing
- dolorous
- heartrending
- forbidding
- lachrymose
- maddening
- intimidating
- infuriating
- upsetting
- distressing
- peeving
- enraging
- outraging
- angering
- riling
- rankling
- inflaming
- incensing
- enflaming
3
as in careful
hard to please she's far too nice about her clothes for me to even consider giving her clothing for her birthday Synonyms & Similar Words
- careful
- particular
- finicky
- fastidious
- picky
- demanding
- dainty
- delicate
- choosy
- finicking
- fussy
- finical
- selective
- exacting
- meticulous
- persnickety
- fussbudgety
- choosey
- pernickety
- insightful
- critical
- old-maidish
- knowledgeable
- discriminating
- hyperfastidious
- discerning
- touchy
- overdemanding
- scrupulous
- ultrafastidious
- queasy
- overcritical
- hypercritical
- painstaking
- prissy
- squeamish
- captious
- peevish
- prim
- punctilious
- petulant
- carping
- queazy
- prickly
- faultfinding
- caviling
- cavilling
- niminy-piminy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- relaxed
- flexible
- breezy
- undemanding
- unfastidious
- unfussy
- affable
- loose
- carefree
- lackadaisical
- lenient
- lax
- laid-back
- permissive
- uncritical
- happy-go-lucky
- low-pressure
- devil-may-care
- undiscriminating
- indiscriminating
4
as in gracious
having an easygoing and pleasing manner especially in social situations such a nice person to have as a party guest Synonyms & Similar Words
- pleasant
- gracious
- sweet
- kind
- delightful
- friendly
- amiable
- cheerful
- attractive
- polite
- clever
- agreeable
- mellow
- gentle
- affable
- thoughtful
- enjoyable
- good-natured
- good-tempered
- genial
- well-disposed
- cheery
- benign
- neighborly
- sunny
- civil
- courteous
- amicable
- glad
- cordial
- obliging
- companionable
- considerate
- likable
- conversable
- sociable
- amenable
- likeable
- accommodating
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unpleasant
- disagreeable
- ungracious
- surly
- rude
- unkind
- unamiable
- impolite
- ungenial
- touchy
- discourteous
- grumpy
- inconsiderate
- cantankerous
- irritable
- boorish
- unsociable
- grouchy
- fussy
- contrary
- uncivil
- testy
- unattractive
- peevish
- churlish
- petulant
- unmannerly
- snappish
- irascible
- crabby
- contentious
- unappealing
- bearish
- bilious
- ill-natured
- dyspeptic
- argumentative
- ornery
- ill-tempered
- querulous
- sour
- choleric
- ill-mannered
- cranky
- ill-humored
- vinegary
- quick-tempered
5
as in subtle
made or done with extreme care and accuracy the noticeably nice folding of the dinner napkins told us that we were in the home of a domestic diva Synonyms & Similar Words
- subtle
- fine
- delicate
- exact
- minute
- nuanced
- refined
- meticulous
- finespun
- trivial
- particular
- petty
- hairline
- negligible
- insignificant
- hairsplitting
- quibbling
- exacting
- demanding
- frivolous
- inconsiderable
- trifling
- inconsequential
- fastidious
- finicky
- nitpicking
- picky
- fussy
- piddling
- finical
- finicking
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rough
- clear
- coarse
- obvious
- plain
- apparent
- evident
- transparent
- broad
- unmistakable
- inexact
- unambiguous
- unequivocal
- palpable
- manifest
- perspicuous
- patent
- indefinite
- sloppy
- clear-cut
- careless
- open-and-shut
- incautious
- slipshod
- heedless
- slapdash
6
as in good
conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue in those days nice people would not have been caught dead in a gambling casino Synonyms & Similar Words
- good
- honorable
- honest
- decent
- true
- ethical
- just
- moral
- worthy
- noble
- virtuous
- right
- straight
- all right
- respected
- upright
- righteous
- proper
- correct
- right-minded
- exemplary
- decorous
- clean
- legitimate
- commendable
- pure
- seemly
- innocent
- principled
- creditable
- reputable
- immaculate
- inoffensive
- unobjectionable
- upstanding
- spotless
- esteemed
- irreproachable
- incorruptible
- high-minded
- scrupulous
- angelic
- guiltless
- blameless
- menschy
- moralistic
- sanctimonious
- incorrupt
- uncorrupted
- rectitudinous
- unerring
- incorrupted
- law-abiding
- pharisaical
- goody-goody
- lily-white
- angelical
- self-righteous
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- bad
- wrong
- wicked
- naughty
- indecent
- evil
- sinful
- improper
- dishonorable
- dishonest
- unethical
- unseemly
- immoral
- incorrect
- unrighteous
- unbecoming
- perverted
- indecorous
- atrocious
- unscrupulous
- depraved
- low
- degenerate
- dissolute
- debased
- debauched
- corrupt
- vicious
- libertine
- mean
- unprincipled
- infamous
- base
- vile
- villainous
- objectionable
- offensive
- evil-minded
- nefarious
- reprobate
- blameworthy
- iniquitous
- fallen
- errant
- erring
7
as in formal
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details a gentleman's club with a nice code of honor that no one can breach and still remain a member Synonyms & Similar Words
- formal
- correct
- proper
- ceremonious
- decorous
- stiff
- polite
- solemn
- stilted
- civil
- polished
- starchy
- punctilious
- courteous
- chivalrous
- sober
- refined
- stately
- gallant
- genteel
- courtly
- stiff-necked
- red-carpet
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- informal
- casual
- easygoing
- unceremonious
- improper
- laid-back
- rude
- indecorous
- impolite
- unmannerly
- discourteous
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of nice are accurate, correct, exact, precise, and right. While all these words mean "conforming to fact, standard, or truth," nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination.
makes nice distinctions
The words accurate and nice can be used in similar contexts, but accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care.
an accurate description
While the synonyms correct and nice are close in meaning, correct usually implies freedom from fault or error.
correct answers
socially correct dress
While in some cases nearly identical to nice, exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth.
exact measurements
Precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation.
precise calibration
Right is close to correct but has a stronger positive emphasis on conformity to fact or truth rather than mere absence of error or fault.
the right thing to do