beauty is in the eye of the beholder

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

proverb An approximation of beauty will differ greatly between different people. You may not like my new jacket, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I don't think Annabelle's boyfriend is that attractive, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.
See also: beauty, beholder, eye, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Prov. Different people have different ideas about what is beautiful. Bob: I can't believe Ted bought that ugly old car. Fred: He loves it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Jill: Have you seen Mary's pictures of her new baby? He looks pretty ugly, to my eyes. Jane: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
See also: beauty, beholder, eye, of
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

ˌbeauty is in the ˌeye of the beˈholder

(saying) what one person thinks is beautiful may not seem beautiful to somebody else: Personally I don’t think her husband is very attractive, but they say beauty’s in the eye of the beholder, don’t they?
Behold is an old word meaning ‘to see’.
See also: beauty, beholder, eye, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

What one person considers ugly may seem beautiful to another. The idea is very old and was stated in various ways from the sixteenth century on. Shakespeare’s version is close to the modern: “Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye” (Love’s Labour’s Lost, 2.1). Possibly the first exact statement of the cliché in print was in Margaret Hungerford’s Molly Bawn (1878).
See also: beauty, beholder, eye, of
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • beholder
  • beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder
  • the beauty of
  • the beauty of (something)
  • the beauty of something/of doing something
  • eye of the beholder
  • beauty queen
  • beauty is more than skin deep
  • beauty is only skin deep
  • Beauty is only skin-deep
References in periodicals archive
I am aware that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but, contrary to what Mr Heckle says, I have yet to hear anyone locally compliment the design of the college.
Number crunch, no beauty spot
* The Analysis Of Beauty, showing at the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art at Sunderland City Library and Arts Centre, Fawcett Street, proves that old adage that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Images of the world go on show
I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder but the juxtaposition of this building (or at very least the external wall) with the church and university science buildings opposite should be seen as a jewel in Huddersfield's crown.
An architectural jewel to behold
Office space consultants officebroker.com, who commissiomed the poll, said: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
Bosses in moan over make-up
CITY planning bosses decided beauty is in the eye of the beholder after voting through a new eye-catching sculpture dedicated to historic industrialist Matthew Boulton.
Piece of art given the OK; SCULPTURE: Planners agree
'BEAUTY is in the eye of the beholder' came to mind this week when Dr Richard Holloway, new Chairman of the Scottish Arts Council, announced he views football as a form of art.
Shari Low: Deep pan masterpiece
GWYNETH Paltrow is without doubt a very good looking woman, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To give her the title of world's most beautiful woman is questionable (Mirror, April 27).
To the Point; your letters
BEAUTY is in the eye of the beholder,but equally true, age is not a reason to say someone is past it, so therefore, they cannot be beautiful.
Your View: Beautiful thought
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to me Tom's the perfect, handsome prince.
I FOUND MY MR FRIGHT; 'Ugly bugs' to get married
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - especially when the beholder is a TV viewer, say Daily Record readers.
DAILY RECORD DEBATE; Is beauty more important than brains on TV?
Councillor Vincent Jackson told the Irish Mirror: "They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder but there is no beauty in that object.
POINTLESS; ONE OF THE FINEST MONUMENTS IN EUROPE.. ICON FOR A CAPITAL CITY.. PIECE OF ARCHITECTURAL BEAUTY.. SPIRE WINS TOP DESIGN AWARD. DUBS STILL SAY IT'S
THEY say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For Hal Larsen (Jack Black), that eye doesn't look below the surface, because he believes that beauty is only skin deep.
Hal has hidden depths; SHALLOW HAL (12)
After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I hope he finds a good home.
Mirror M@ilbox: My Pet love
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - and, in the case of Ms Hurley, boy, would I like to be holding her!
Furby's Gospel: HURLEY'S THE GIRL
IF BEAUTY is in the eye of the beholder, Maurice Delaney has had a bad deal.
He'll show them