1
as in polite
following the established traditions of refined society and good taste
those bygone days when young women were taught how to drink tea while wearing long gloves and other genteel ways of behaving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in civilized
having or showing a taste for the fine arts and gracious living
she grew up in genteel old Savannah
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aristocratic
of high birth, rank, or station
the genteel ladies never mixed with the servants prohibited by reason of her genteel birth from marrying the man she loved
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in gracious
showing consideration, courtesy, and good manners
his genteel gesture of holding the door for the ladies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of genteel
Horror stories are often about the disjuncture between appearances and depths and turn on a change in perception: the genteel aristocrat who is in fact a monster, the idyllic town that conceals a dark secret.
—
Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2024
Judge Reinhold, as an overly genteel young detective whom Foley brings into the adult world, and John Ashton, as Reinhold’s surly, stubby older partner, carry a burden as big as Murphy’s through the second half of the picture.
—David Denby, Vulture, 3 July 2024
The rude new businessman—acting a lot like the characters who strutted around the ring, garnering the rabid love of the crowd—upset a genteel arrangement and won big.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
For drivers who preferred their power in a more genteel package, the V-12 S600 delivered almost identical outputs — 362 hp in original form, 493 after gaining twin turbos in ’03.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for genteel 
Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2024
Judge Reinhold, as an overly genteel young detective whom Foley brings into the adult world, and John Ashton, as Reinhold’s surly, stubby older partner, carry a burden as big as Murphy’s through the second half of the picture.
—David Denby, Vulture, 3 July 2024
The rude new businessman—acting a lot like the characters who strutted around the ring, garnering the rabid love of the crowd—upset a genteel arrangement and won big.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
For drivers who preferred their power in a more genteel package, the V-12 S600 delivered almost identical outputs — 362 hp in original form, 493 after gaining twin turbos in ’03.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for genteel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for genteel
Adjective
-
Then Threads, which has a little bit of an issue of feeling kind of like LinkedIn and being very polite, but then has that benefit of Meta being able to push users from Instagram to Thread.Lauren Goode, WIRED, 12 Dec. 2024
-
The level of outward emotional expression here is simply kept at a level true to figures who may inwardly be reaching their boiling point, but are still held back by self-respect and polite manners.Dennis Harvey, Variety, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
By contrast, the recent behavior of the rebels who have just conquered Syria looks reassuringly civilized.Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2024
-
The United States is a civilized country with strong democratic institutions.Steven A. Harvey, Baltimore Sun, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
But red is also the color of the tunic of cardinals, as well as the velvet cloaks worn throughout history by the great aristocratic families.Laura Tortora, Glamour, 4 Dec. 2024
-
Early in the design process, the owners told the team about their love of Florence’s Palazzo Tornabuoni, a grand 15th-century aristocratic home that has been reimagined as a 21st-century private-residence club.Andrew Sessa, Robb Report, 1 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
His acceptance speech was just like him: gracious and humble.AllBusiness, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
-
When it was announced that the Last Splash classic lineup of the Breeders (Kim Deal on rhythm guitar and vocals, twin sister Kelley on lead guitar, Josephine Wiggs on bass, and Jim Macpherson on drums) would be opening select dates in 2024 for Olivia Rodrigo, Deal was both shocked and gracious.Drew Fortune, Vulture, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Not long after Friday Night Lights dropped, the rapper finally moved from mixtapes to proper albums, and he’s been a chart-topper ever since.Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
-
Ranging from dark rom-coms to monster movies, Criterion is adding some proper deep cuts, as well as 4K restorations of two films that are already part of the collection.Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The timeless gem gets a modern twist with the freshwater cultured pearls stationed along a 10k yellow gold rope chain.Brittany Talarico, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024
-
Not only was there overfishing but high-quality cultured pearls arrived, such as those from Mikimoto, first imported by Parisian jeweler Worms, followed by the 1929 financial crisis.Lily Templeton, WWD, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Through the interview and its absurd aftermath, Khalifah satirizes the idea of telling your story as a noble or even politically effective pursuit.Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024
-
The noble folk in The Tale of Lady Ok are not always noble and justify their cruelty by their own interpretation of the strict hierarchical system.Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Legal Action and Broader Implications The Nebraska Attorney General is seeking civil penalties, restitution for affected residents, and injunctive relief to prevent similar incidents.Lars Daniel, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
-
What starts as a civil split soon becomes strained as the couple grapples with the harsh realities of their new living arrangements.Jamie Lang, Variety, 19 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near genteel
Cite this Entry
“Genteel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/genteel. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share