Pretty is used to tone down a statement and is in wide use across the whole spectrum of English. It is common in informal speech and writing but is neither rare nor wrong in serious discourse

We can use pretty as an adverb, before an adjective or another adverb, meaning ‘quite, but not extremely’. It is informal: …

The qualifying adverb pretty, meaning “fairly or moderately” has been in general use since the late 16th century. Although most common in informal speech and writing, it is far from restricted to …

Find 448 different ways to say PRETTY, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.

1. To a fair degree; moderately: a pretty good student. 2. In a pretty manner; prettily or pleasingly.

If you describe someone as pretty, you mean that they are attractive. She's a very charming and very pretty girl.

4 days ago · When particularly stressed, the adverb pretty serves almost to diminish the adjective or adverb that it modifies, by emphasizing that there are greater levels of intensity.

Use the word pretty to describe something with a delicate and pleasant appearance. Something that’s pretty is less powerful and intimidating than something that’s beautiful, the way a pretty …

Some common synonyms of pretty are beautiful, comely, fair, handsome, and lovely. While all these words mean "exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure," pretty often applies to superficial …

(Definition of pretty from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)