GENTEEL Synonyms: 249 Similar and Opposite Words

genteel

adjective

jen-ˈtēl

Definition of genteel

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

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

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

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

Example 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 Ciba’s account of Williams’s posthumous management shows how erasure can operate through genteel forms. — Literary Hub, 26 June 2026 The genteel record producer did not look the part of a revolutionary. — David Kamp, Air Mail, 13 June 2026 Some feel the program has become too genteel and needs more of the on-screen dramatics of former correspondent Mike Wallace. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 1 June 2026 Schlather’s approach is the opposite of the genteel Spoleto staging, which invoked the opulent sets and costumes of the Met’s designer, Cecil Beaton, on a smaller stage. — Russell Platt, New Yorker, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for genteel

Recent Examples of Synonyms for genteel

Adjective

In other words, what happens when their agreeable or polite approach to attaining something doesn’t work?

— Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Tell us about the crew From the waitstaff in the restaurants to the bartenders to the butler, the crew members were unfailingly polite and helpful.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of polite

Adjective

Around them, an aristocratic winemaker defines his legacy, a legendary maître d’hôtel seeks his heir, and a reverent wine critic pursues the sublime.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026
By the 20th century, summer excursions to the Highlands were a fixture of the aristocratic calendar, with transatlantic visitors soon joining the English to shoot, fish, and feign indifference to horizontal rain.

— Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of aristocratic

Adjective

The gracious master of ceremonies gave me the place of honor in the line-up, directly behind him, with Reiffer and the two shikaris bringing up the rear.

— Leslie E. Tassell, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026
Walters asks, with a show of reluctance, questions about hillbillies, adolescent development, breast surgeries and her husband — though the singer’s answers are always gracious.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of gracious

Adjective

Potassium is a mineral your body needs for proper heart and muscle function.

— Zia Sherrell, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026
Bailey, who also serves as Bank of England governor, warned about the absence of proper guardrails around the technology, underscored by recent incidents in which frontier AI models being tested went rogue.

— Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of proper

Adjective

For an heir to the throne, however, marrying a woman without royal blood or a noble title was discouraged.

— Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
But, of course, Cullen will always be remembered as Optimus Prime, the leader of the noble Autobots in numerous iterations of Transformers lore.

— Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of noble

Adjective

Seeing all the fiancé’s extended family in our city for the civil ceremony and reception and friends at the reception put a very poignant sting in our hearts for the four local family members who weren’t included.

— R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Retailers and insurers often require it; product recalls are an expensive bad look; and there are major civil or criminal penalties if a product causes harm.

— Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of civil

Browse Nearby Words

gent

genteel

genteelism

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Genteel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/genteel. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of genteel

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes