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

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in gracious

showing consideration, courtesy, and good manners his genteel gesture of holding the door for the ladies

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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 In summer, guests appeared to be genteel, sophisticated middle-aged couples in Patagonia vests who had come for a long weekend of hiking, fishing, and horseback riding—or young families on a short vacation. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026 The Harlequin This MacKenzie-Childs butter dish channels such genteel things as a lively chess game, or the tiled floors of Westminster Abbey. — Clara Hillis, Architectural Digest, 18 Aug. 2026 The Hezlep House, completed in 1968, is one of his few remaining homes in San Marino, a leafy, genteel city bordering Pasadena. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 Aug. 2026 Celebrated for its genteel Scandinavian minimalism, the brand embraces a deliberate and elevated design philosophy that captivates with its uniqueness. — Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for genteel

Recent Examples of Synonyms for genteel

Adjective

Music of the margins — which before neoperreo was punk rock and hip-hop — had been framed in opposition to polite society.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
The emergency response agents were always polite and professional, and two-way communications came through loud and clear.

— John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of polite

Adjective

Taylor, who reportedly bought his aristocratic title on the internet, was jailed for three years for selling a fake painting by the British artist Lowry through auction house Bonhams.

— Howard Walker, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2026
Similarly, after the traumas of the Civil War and Reconstruction, some Southern writers emphasized aberrant behavior to undercut the aristocratic whitewash of gentility and custom.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of aristocratic

Adjective

At the heart of these experiences is the resort’s Master Pathfinder and team of Pathfinders, who act essentially as adventure concierges, gracious hosts, and expert guides.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
No Camas coach would talk (although one, along with a school administrator, was gracious to me), and the boy's mother wouldn't acknowledge my presence Saturday.

— Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of gracious

Adjective

Any function whose work can be pointed at a proper model of its underlying business, instead of at a general-purpose language model, is starting to compound the same way Anthropic’s engineering did a year ago.

— Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Pentecostal parents Ruth and Marius were accused of domestic violence, with worldwide protests criticizing what dissenters called harsh and hasty steps taken by Norwegian social workers without proper evidence.

— Tomris Laffly, Time, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of proper

Adjective

All three books analyze how closely the Biden administration worked with a (very willing) mainstream media to portray Israel as a noble victim and to dehumanize Palestinians.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2026
Today, the firm founded in 1985 is known for its anti-mass-market bespoke interiors, furniture, lighting and accessories defined by clean lines, refined proportions, noble materials and a philosophy of luxurious simplicity.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of noble

Adjective

Manish Kumar, a professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering and chemical engineering at UT Austin, said the goal is to simplify the recovery of lithium from complex mixtures.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
Part of the reform focused on eliminating misdemeanor criminal penalties, arrests and jail time for unlicensed mobile food vendors and replacing them with civil violations and fines.

— Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of civil

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gent

genteel

genteelism

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“Genteel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/genteel. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of genteel

adjective

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