comly

Adjective

comely (comparative comelier or more comely, superlative comeliest or most comely)

1. (literary, poetic) Of a person: attractive or pleasing to look at; beautiful, handsome; also, attractive but not particularly beautiful or handsome.
   • a comely woman

   Synonyms:

   pulchritudinous, attractive, beauteous, beautifool, beautiful, beautimous, bona vardering, bonnie, breathtaking, captivating

   Antonyms:

   homely, uncomely, bad, beat, butters, butt-ugly, clapped, coyote ugly, deform, fuckfaced

2. (literary, poetic) Of a person, an action, behaviour, etc.: meeting accepted moral or social norms; appropriate, becoming, proper.
   • Doth any contumely vvhich vvee ſuſtaine for religions ſake pierce ſo deeply as […] vvhen they […] trample vnder foote almoſt vvhatſoeuer either vvee or the vvhole Church of God by the ſpace of ſo many ages haue beene accuſtomed vnto for the comlier and better exerciſe of our religion according to...1597, Richard Hooker, “In the Seruice of Idols the Doores of Their Temples, the Sacrifices, the Altars, the Priests and the Supplicants that were Present Wore Garlands”, in J[ohn] S[penser], editor...

   Synonyms:

   agreeable, seemly, allowable, appropriate, apropos, apposite, apt, commensurate, correct, decorous

   Antonyms:

   improper, inappropriate, unbecoming, uncomely, unseemly, bad, discommensurate, malapropos, inapt, incommensurate

3. (literary, poetic) Of a thing: beautiful, elegant, well-composed; also, delicate, fine.
   • In ſhootinge at the prickes, haſtye and quicke drawinge is neyther ſure nor yet comely.1544 (date written; published 1571), Roger Ascham, Toxophilus, the Schole, or Partitions, of Shooting. […], London: […] Thomas Marshe, →OCLC; republished in The English Works of Roger Ascham, […]...

   Antonyms:

   uncomely

4. (literary, obsolete, poetic) Pleasing to the feelings or senses; agreeable, nice, pleasant.
   • Oh hovv comely it is and hovv reviving / To the Spirits of juſt men long oppreſt! / VVhen God into the hands of thir deliverer / Puts invincible might1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 76, lines...

   Synonyms:

   gratifying, acceptable, agreeable, amiable, charming, nice, pleasant, pleasing, welcome

   Antonyms:

   abhorrant, abhorrent, bad, sickly, mean, infernal, bum, horrid, vile, demonic

See all 6 meanings of comely