good looks
B1Neutral, somewhat informal
Definition
Meaning
Attractive physical appearance; beauty of face and body.
The quality of having an aesthetically pleasing or handsome/beautiful appearance. The term often implies a conventional, socially-recognized form of attractiveness.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Good looks" is a plural noun phrase that refers to the collective feature of attractiveness. It often carries a slight connotation of being a superficial or innate attribute, as opposed to something earned or developed.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical, though in British English, it may be slightly more common to use the synonym "good-looking" as an adjective (e.g., "He's very good-looking").
Connotations
Similar in both variants. Can sometimes imply that attractiveness is the person's primary or most notable asset.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American media discourse, but common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Person] has good looks.[Person]'s good looks [verb]...complemented by good looksVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “More than just a pretty face (suggessing someone has good looks but also other qualities)”
- “Looks aren't everything.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used directly. Might appear in marketing, fashion, or entertainment contexts (e.g., "The brand ambassador was chosen for her classic good looks.").
Academic
Very rare. Used mainly in sociological or cultural studies discussing beauty standards.
Everyday
Common in conversational English to describe someone's appearance.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A for this noun phrase
American English
- N/A for this noun phrase
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A (The adjective form is 'good-looking').
American English
- N/A (The adjective form is 'good-looking').
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She has nice good looks.
- Many actors have good looks.
- His good helped him get the modeling job.
- Good looks are not the most important thing in a partner.
- Despite his striking good looks, he was surprisingly shy and unassuming.
- She succeeded in her career on merit, not merely relying on her natural good looks.
- The phenomenon of 'lookism' suggests that societal privilege is often accorded to those blessed with conventional good looks.
- His classic good looks belied a cunning and formidable intellect.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a "good-looking" person. Their 'looks' (appearance) are 'good.' Combine them: good + looks = good looks.
Conceptual Metaphor
APPEARANCE IS A COMMODITY/VALUE (e.g., "He traded on his good looks."), APPEARANCE IS A SURFACE (e.g., "It's only good looks, no depth.")
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as "хорошие взгляды" (which means 'good views/opinions'). The correct conceptual equivalent is "внешняя привлекательность", "красота".
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a singular noun (e.g., 'He has a good look' is incorrect for this meaning). Confusing 'looks' with 'look' (a style or expression).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common mistake Russian speakers make when translating "good looks"?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a plural noun phrase. You say 'His good looks ARE striking,' not 'is striking.'
'Good looks' is a plural noun describing the feature. 'Good-looking' is an adjective used to describe a person (e.g., 'a good-looking man').
Almost exclusively for people. For objects, you would use terms like 'attractive design,' 'beautiful form,' etc.
It can. While neutral, it sometimes implies superficiality, especially in phrases like 'only good looks' or 'just good looks.'