How to Use genteel in a Sentence

genteel

adjective
  • They lived in a more genteel era.
  • She was born into a genteel family.
  • One part of town—the white part—still evokes a genteel way of life.
    — Alexis Okeowo, The New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2020
  • On Eisen’s show, the first-time head coach was genteel.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The idea to turn to lawyers came after less genteel ways didn’t stop the spread.
    — Susan Decker, Bloomberg.com, 19 Sep. 2017
  • And yet the chafing dish has the genteel task of keeping food warm.
    — Bernadette Kinlaw, Arkansas Online, 31 May 2021
  • Young Cantal is mild, smooth, and grassy, with a more genteel rind.
    — Tia Keenan, Bon Appetit, 24 Apr. 2018
  • The final movement, a hunting song, more evoked a genteel tableau than a chase.
    — Zoë Madonna, BostonGlobe.com, 7 July 2019
  • But for the past year those genteel alcoves have been cordoned of with segments of ten-foot-high chain-link.
    — Matthew Segal, Los Angeles Magazine, 18 June 2018
  • In ragtag crumbles or genteel chunks, feta cheese gives a frisky flavor edge to food.
    — Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 29 Dec. 2025
  • Again, think of it as a more genteel Corvette, and the appeal is obvious.
    — Brendan McAleer, Car and Driver, 1 July 2023
  • Their values, whether genteel or sybaritic, are not those of the working mainstream.
    — James K. Galbraith, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2019
  • The customs recall an era of a kinder, more genteel conservatism.
    — Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2022
  • There is nothing folksy, never mind pastoral or genteel, about Crews.
    — Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2022
  • This genteel lodge has 58 country-style rooms and on-site access to a legendary golf course.
    — Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 23 July 2023
  • This genteel lodge has 58 country-style rooms and on-site access to a legendary golf course.
    — Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 23 July 2023
  • There will be others who feel this level of passion is good for a sport that can be too genteel for some people’s tastes.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
  • All this might be a bit much for those who like their international epics more refined and genteel.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Dec. 2024
  • This creates the impression of being in a kind of genteel forest.
    — Karan Mahajan, The New Republic, 26 Mar. 2018
  • Golf, the genteel game of ladies and gentlemen, lures players with promises of pretty scenery and cool shoes.
    — Roy Bragg, San Antonio Express-News, 19 Apr. 2018
  • There was no genteel side of life here—no schools or churches—but Cerro Gordo had its charms.
    — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, 16 June 2018
  • What fun that would be in the center of the circular driveway leading to his genteel home in Ocala!
    — Lauren Ritchie, OrlandoSentinel.com, 1 July 2018
  • The spectacular palace and its genteel grounds served as the backdrop for many scenes in Bridgerton.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 May 2023
  • Art sales used to be genteel affairs conducted by elite collectors and dealers.
    — Terry W. Hartle, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Walk through the lines of gleaming cars, speak to the friendly and knowledgeable owners, and enjoy the event's genteel air.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Nov. 2019
  • Not a genteel purge but the full-boat Linda Blair, the contents of his dinner spraying the trees.
    — Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2022
  • How on earth did the fiery New Orleans star team up with the genteel Vermont ice cream makers?
    — Doug MacCash, nola.com, 27 June 2019
  • His teams took on an almost genteel affect, one that both reflected and molded the politics of the town.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, The New York Review of Books, 27 Aug. 2020
  • The genteel record producer did not look the part of a revolutionary.
    — David Kamp, Air Mail, 13 June 2026
  • The public dispute between the two men was unusual in the genteel world of central banking.
    — Tom Fairless, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'genteel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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