Cool MateAppealing vs How good-looking he is
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Appealing
Top 2,000 (common)C1adjective
How good-looking he is
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Most formal: AppealingMost common: Appealing
| Appealing | How good-looking he is | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈpiːlɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈpiːlɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //haʊ ɡʊdˈlʊkɪŋ hi ɪz//🇺🇸 //haʊ ɡʊdˈlʊkɪŋ hi ɪz// |
| Meaning | Attractive or interesting. | How attractive someone appears. |
| Example | Spending the holidays in Britain wasn't a prospect that I found particularly appealing. | Everyone keeps saying, 'How good-looking he is!' when he walks into the room. |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | be, look, seem, extremely, fairly, very, to | good-looking guy, how good-looking, good-looking features, really good-looking, very good-looking |
| Antonyms | unattractive, displeasing, repellent | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'appalling' which means shocking or terrible., Using it in contexts where it doesn't refer to attractiveness, like performance metrics., Misplacing it as a verb; it's an adjective. | Confused with 'how good he looks' which is more direct., Omitting 'how' makes it less expressive., Used in inappropriate contexts, like job interviews. |
| Usage notes | Use 'appealing' when discussing something that draws interest or attraction. It's appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, but might sound too formal in casual conversations. | Used in casual conversations to compliment someone's appearance. Avoid in formal or professional settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: Appealing vs How good-looking he is
What's the difference between Appealing and How good-looking he is?
Appealing: Attractive or interesting. How good-looking he is: How attractive someone appears.
Which is more formal: Appealing and How good-looking he is?
Appealing is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Appealing and How good-looking he is?
Appealing is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Appealing: Spending the holidays in Britain wasn't a prospect that I found particularly appealing. How good-looking he is: Everyone keeps saying, 'How good-looking he is!' when he walks into the room.
Can I use Appealing and How good-looking he is interchangeably?
Not always. Appealing and How good-looking he is are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.