winsome
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- unwinsome adjective
- winsomely adverb
- winsomeness noun
Etymology
Origin of winsome
First recorded before 900; Middle English winsom, Old English wynsum, equivalent to wyn(n) “joy” ( wish ) + -sum -some 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hannah Spencer, a winsome 30-something plumber, is a national sensation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026
Like Camille and her winsome wooden chair, it’s easy to see something striking and convince ourselves that having it will change our lives and make everything easier.
From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026
Eden is a complicated mix of independence — she runs her own seemingly thriving business — and winsome but deep-seated neediness.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2024
The young actors are winsome but inexperienced, too often forced to wrangle improbably precocious turns of phrase.
From New York Times • Mar. 21, 2024
It was a far different woman from the one at church—the winsome fisher wife serving tea and coffee.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
