Aesthetic | Meaning, Definition & Examples

Aesthetic is an adjective that means “artistic,” “pleasing to the eye,” or “related to the appreciation of beauty” (e.g., “I’m looking for a desk chair that’s not only functional but also aesthetic”).

Aesthetic is also used as a noun in two ways:

  • Traditionally, it has been used to describe the principles governing a specific art movement (e.g., “the Cubist aesthetic”).
  • Nowadays, it is frequently also used to describe personal taste or style (e.g., “The skincare company embraces a clean girl aesthetic”).
Aesthetic in a sentence examples
The professors complained that the proposed new building had little aesthetic appeal.

Customers appreciate aesthetic features, such as beautiful colors and bold designs, even for very functional items.

Nina is committed to the Y2K aesthetic; she wears bright colors and big logos every day.

Aesthetic meaning

Aesthetic is an art-related term that can be used as an adjective or noun. It means “related to appearance or beauty” or “of a particular style.” Its alternate, less common spelling is “esthetic.”

The term aesthetic has been used for a long time in discussions of art and design and in analyzing why people are drawn to certain objects.

More recently, it has become an informal way to describe someone’s personal style, especially when that style is intentionally cultivated (e.g., “His aesthetic is very preppy”).

Aesthetic is also sometimes used to mean “related only to looks” or “cosmetic” (e.g., “My braces were purely aesthetic; I just didn’t want a gap in my teeth”).

Meanings of aesthetic examples
Her aesthetic is hard to define; she mixes trends from different time periods. [meaning: personal style]

This portrait is perfectly fine, but it doesn’t appeal to my aesthetic sense. [meaning: related to appreciation of beauty]

The mid-century modern design aesthetic is popular again in furniture. [meaning: a particular style]

Aesthetics

Aesthetics is used in several ways:

  • It is the plural form of the noun aesthetic and can be used to refer to more than one style (e.g., “We’re trying to decide between two aesthetics for prom”).
  • It is a branch of philosophy related to the study of beauty. When used in this sense, it is a singular noun, similar to “politics” (e.g., “Aesthetics is a very broad field”).
  • It can be used as a shorthand for “aesthetic concerns” or “aesthetic principles,” in which case it is usually treated as plural.
Aesthetics in a sentence examples
Aesthetics affect many of our daily decisions, such as our clothing and where we choose to spend our time.

It is unusual now to hear someone say they are studying aesthetics, but it used to be a quite popular field.

Many teenagers like to try out different aesthetics before settling on their personal style.

Aesthetically

Aesthetically is the adverb form of the adjective aesthetic. It means “in a visually pleasing manner” or “in a way that is concerned with beauty.” It is often used in combination with the adjectives “pleasing” or “appealing.”

Aesthetically examples
We want to make sure our new website is aesthetically pleasing as well as user friendly.

To be a good designer, you have to learn how to think aesthetically.

I’m not surprised this house hasn’t sold yet; the entrance is not aesthetically appealing.

Frequently asked questions about aesthetic

Is it esthetic or aesthetic?

Esthetic is an alternate spelling of the noun and adjective aesthetic. 

Esthetic is only used in American English (not British English), and even in American English, aesthetic is the preferred variant.

QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you ensure your spelling is correct for any English variant.

What is a synonym for aesthetic?

Some synonyms or near-synonyms for aesthetic as an adjective are:

  • Beautiful
  • Visually pleasing
  • Attractive
  • Artistic
  • Stylish

Some synonyms or near-synonyms for aesthetic as a noun are:

  • Style
  • Look
  • Appearance
  • Fashion
  • Ambience

Aesthetic is a flexible word, and its meaning often depends on context. QuillBot’s Paraphraser can help you find synonyms for aesthetic that are appropriate for any situation.

Is it aesthetic or aesthetics?

Aesthetics is the plural form of the noun aesthetic, meaning “style” or referring to a particular artistic movement (e.g., “the Surrealist aesthetic”).

You can use aesthetics when referring to more than one style (e.g., “The two painters’ aesthetics are quite different”).

Aesthetics is also used to refer to the field of philosophy devoted to the nature of beauty. In this case, it is used as a singular noun (e.g., “Aesthetics is concerned with sensory reactions”).

Use aesthetic when you are referring to one particular style (e.g., “a punk aesthetic”) or when using the word as an adjective (e.g., “aesthetic features”).

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you make sure you’re using singular and plural nouns correctly.

How do you pronounce aesthetic?

Aesthetic has three syllables and is pronounced [ess-theh-tik] .

What part of speech is aesthetic?

Aesthetic can be either a noun (e.g., “the punk aesthetic”) or an adjective (e.g., “aesthetic design”).

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use words like aesthetic correctly.

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Kayla Anderson Hewitt, MA

Kayla has a master's degree in teaching English as a second language. She has taught university-level ESL and first-year composition courses. She also has 15 years of experience as an editor.