Pleasing
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 pleasure or satisfaction, as in the phrase "to someone's pleasing." countable, uncountable
"What more palpable confutation can there be of human vanity and arrogance, of all lofty imaginations, all presumptuous confidences, all turgid humours, all fond self-pleasings and self-admirings, than is that tragical cross […]"
- 2 the act of one who pleases wordnet
- 1 present participle and gerund of please. form-of, gerund, participle, present
- 1 Agreeable; giving pleasure, cheer, enjoyment or gratification.
"These two designs were neat and handsome, by modern standards, and very pleasing in appearance."
- 1 pleasant or agreeable to the senses wordnet
- 2 giving pleasure and satisfaction wordnet
Example
More examples"David has a keen interest in aesthetics — the qualities that make a painting, sculpture, musical composition, or poem pleasing to the eye, ear, or mind."
Etymology
From Middle English plesynge, pleizinge, plesende (present participle), equivalent to please + -ing.
From Middle English plesing, plesinge (“satisfaction; pleasing”), equivalent to please + -ing.
Related phrases
More for "pleasing"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.