If you’ve ever been told that you are “beautiful as always”, you might have felt a little confused. How beautiful is “always”, anyway?
In this article, we’ll tell you the meaning of this phrase and introduce you to a few useful synonyms you can use in its place.
Is It Correct to Say “Beautiful as Always”?
It is perfectly grammatically correct to say that someone or something is “beautiful as always”. This phrase simply means that their beautiful appearance is to be expected since they always look that way, e.g., “My mother looked beautiful as always, but her lips were set in a frown”.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The phrase “beautiful as always” is grammatically correct.
- Three potential synonyms for “beautiful as always” are “stunning as ever”, “pretty as usual”, and “gorgeous, as per usual”
- “Beautiful as always” essentially means that someone or something is pleasing to look at, at all times, to the point where it becomes expected.
There are a couple of ways that someone could write out “beautiful as always”. Consider the sentences below:
- You look beautiful as always.
- You look as beautiful as always.
- You look beautiful, as always.
All three of these sentences are correct English. You can read the first and second sentences in a similar way. In the first sentence, the first as is simply omitted, which could happen in conversational English. The second sentence means that you look beautiful, just like you always do.
So, we know that it is perfectly correct to use this phrase in any of the ways above. However, if you’re still not comfortable, and would prefer to know what to say instead of “beautiful as ever”, we’ve compiled a list of potential synonyms to help.
Other Ways to Say “Beautiful as Always”
Other ways to say “beautiful as always” are “stunning as ever”, “pretty as usual”, and “gorgeous, as per usual”.
Although the synonyms for “beautiful” in each of these examples can often be used interchangeably, they each carry slightly different connotations, as you will soon find out.
1. Stunning as Ever
If you’re looking for another way to say “beautiful as always”, “stunning as ever” is our top pick.
According to Merriam-Webster, “ever” is a direct synonym of “always”, but if someone or something is “stunning”, they are so strikingly attractive that it causes “astonishment or disbelief”.
“Stunning as ever” is, therefore, a slightly more extreme version of “beautiful as always”. It implies that someone or something is, at all times, so beautiful that they cause observers to be “stunned”.
Let’s look at a few examples that illustrate this:
- The stars back home are as stunning as ever. You probably miss them, being in that big city with all its light pollution.
- You look stunning as ever, Lucinda – no ugly dress could change that!
2. Pretty as Usual
If you’re trying to figure out how to say “beautiful as always” in a more subdued and casual way, try the phrase “pretty as usual”.
“Pretty” has slightly different connotations to the words “beautiful” and “stunning. Merriam-Webster defines this word as meaning “pleasing” and “having elements of what is conventionally accepted as beautiful” but “lacking in intensity”.
As such, to be pretty means to be pleasing to look at, graceful, and delicate, but not particularly striking. Similarly, “usual” refers to something common or ordinary. This phrase is suitable if you want to comment on a thing’s appearance, but with less extreme connotations.
Let’s see this phrase used in some example sentences:
- He’s looking pretty as usual, but he can’t carry a conversation for the life of him.
- They’re all very pretty, as usual, but I’m looking for something a bit more elegant for this event.
3. Gorgeous as Per Usual
Merriam-Webster defines “gorgeous” as “splendidly or showily brilliant or magnificent”. The Collins Dictionary suggests, furthermore, that “as per usual” is a more informal phrase.
As such, the phrase “gorgeous as per usual” creates the connotation of something being rather strikingly splendid. It, furthermore, implies that this level of brilliance is the norm for that thing.
Consider the following examples:
- The interior of the house looked gorgeous as per usual, but he couldn’t help but notice the slight layer of dust that had accumulated in his absence.
- She looks gorgeous as per usual, and the papers will have a field day with her choice of attire.
4. Exquisite as Always
“Exquisite as always” is a version of “beautiful as always” that carries quite intense connotations.
In the multiple definitions provided by Merriam-Webster for “exquisite”, we’ve noticed the use of the words “perfect”, “flawless”, and “uncommon”.
“Exquisite as always” therefore implies that something is uniquely and uncommonly exceptional and perfect. Yet, this state of perfection is the norm for that thing or person in particular.
Let’s see this phrase in a couple of example sentences:
- His work is as exquisite as always; no other contemporary artist has ever compared.
- I never tire of visiting the temple – it was truly exquisite, as always.
5. Eternally Beautiful
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, if something is “eternal”, this means that it is “lasting forever or for a long time”.
This phrase, therefore, has a slightly different meaning than “beautiful as always”. The latter phrase seems to mean that someone or something’s beauty is consistent and standard, if not necessarily everlasting.
“Eternally beautiful”, on the other hand, suggests that the passage of great lengths of time will not erode the beauty of the thing in question.
Nevertheless, you can use this phrase if you want to be intentionally exaggerative when complimenting someone’s appearance. Alternatively, you can use it more literally when referring to something that you know will last a long time.
Let’s see how we might use this phrase in a few example sentences:
- He had given up all of his worldly possessions for the promise that he would be eternally beautiful.
- One thing I can say is that, with or without people, this world is eternally beautiful.
What Does “Beautiful as Always” Mean?
At first glance, the phrase “beautiful as always” may be confusing. After all, one of the definitions of “as” is “to the same degree or amount”.
If you’re a non-native English speaker, you might think that the adjective “beautiful” is being compared to the adverb “always”. Doesn’t make much sense, does it? Happily, this is not the case since “as” is forming part of an idiom in this particular phrase.
According to Merriam-Webster, “as always” is an idiom “used to say that something was expected because it always happens”.
“Beautiful” means “generally pleasing”. Therefore, if someone or something is “beautiful as always”, this means they are pleasing to look at at all times. In other words, there is nothing unexpected about their beauty.