pleasingly

Everyday

1. In a way that gives pleasure, satisfaction or a good feeling. tree →
2. (formal) Pleasantly, nicely, to a satisfying degree: pleasingly warm. tree →

In the lessons

Used in descriptions and reports to show something is good or satisfying: «The cake was pleasingly soft». In art and maths, shapes or patterns can be «pleasingly symmetrical». A slightly formal, writerly word; in speech children say «nicely» or «really». Phrases: «pleasingly simple», «pleasingly symmetrical», «pleasingly warm».

Examples

• The answer came out pleasingly neat: exactly 100. tree →
• The garden was pleasingly quiet. tree →
• The pattern is pleasingly symmetrical. tree →
• The bath was pleasingly warm. tree →
• Her picture was pleasingly bright and colourful. tree →
• The test results were pleasingly good. tree →
• The puzzle pieces clicked pleasingly into place. tree →

Note

Adverb from «pleasing» (adjective) from «please». Often comes before an adjective: pleasingly round, pleasingly short.