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’ … that's a pretty hat you're wearing The sofa was covered in very pretty flowery material She's got such a pretty daughter She looked pretty in a simple cotton dress.
Pleasing or attractive to the eye, as by delicacy or gracefulness. See examples of pretty used in a sentence. 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. In a delicate or graceful way Pleasing or charming but not grand or overwhelming A pretty little cabin in the woods.
While all these words mean exciting sensuous or aesthetic pleasure, pretty often applies to superficial or insubstantial attractiveness. Pleasant to look at, or (especially of girls or women…
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