GENTLES Synonyms: 170 Similar and Opposite Words

gentles 1 of 2

noun

plural of gentle

as in nobles

a man or woman of high birth or social position the archbishop treated both the gentles and the commoners with respect and kindness

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gentles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of gentle

as in appeases

to lessen the anger or agitation of employees soon learned that their hot-tempered boss needed to be gentled several times a day

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as in caresses

to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner soothingly gentled his cat's head as she was being treated by the vet

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as in softens

to lessen the shock of adding a bit of sugar to the salsa will gentle the hot spiciness of the chili peppers

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentles

Noun

In true Renaissance fashion, the two were surrounded by their yeomen, personal bodyguards to the nobles.

— Rashad Alexander August 31, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026
The country’s nobles eventually surrendered in exchange for being allowed to keep their lands (some of them may have done so with their fingers crossed).

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of nobles

Verb

This way of handling stress occurs when someone acts calm, appeases the threatening person and retreats to de-escalate the situation.

— Michele Patterson Ford, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026
The city’s first street food market appeases the vast spectrum of palates and preferences, from vegans' to meat-lovers', by featuring ten culinary traders who specialize in ethnic fare from Greece to the bayous of Louisiana.

— Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of appeases

Verb

The Princess Diaries star smiles, caresses her belly, then ducks out of the frame.

— Redazione People, Vanity Fair, 19 June 2026
Those of us with a penchant for fashion have managed—not without effort—to put aside the knowing glances, caresses, and hugs to take in every detail of the look.

— Arancha Gamo, Glamour, 7 June 2026

Definition of caresses

Verb

Talanx German insurer Talanx 's lean cost base and 6 billion euros of resilience reserves can help sustain earnings growth, even as pricing softens in its reinsurance and corporate-specialty units, according to Goldman.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Specs There are multiple textures at play in House of Leon’s Milan daybed, where tactile bouclé softens the look of a sleek stainless steel.

— Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of softens

Noun

Instead, Collin makes much of Prussian military aristocrats who feel more disdain than love for Hitler, especially General Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel, the military commandant of Paris from 1942 to 1944.

— David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Pierro’s opened in 1972, when Pierro Aversa and Andreas Koutsoukos began fitting drag queens, fishermen, aristocrats, and designers into 540 square feet.

— Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of aristocrats

Verb

Anything that soothes that, or gives them more-than-human capacities—that’s just unhelpful to them.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
This Loops x Dune mist is so refreshing— an instant burst of coolness that also soothes and rehydrates my skin without disrupting my makeup.

— Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of soothes

Verb

Seattle comforts you with its natural beauty, quieting your mind and heightening your senses.

— Giovanna Caravetta, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026
In one scene, Maddie gently comforts an elderly man whose brother was killed at the Pentagon when hijackers struck the building.

— Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of comforts

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.

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

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Synonyms of gentles

noun

verb

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