gentility

noun

jen-ˈti-lə-tē How to pronounce gentility (audio)
Definition of gentilitynext
1
as in manners
speech or behavior that is a sign of good breeding was full of the same gentility and grace that marked the rest of the family

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nobility
the highest class in a society as members of the gentility, they felt an obligation to help the less fortunate

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 gentility Before the yuppie era, a certain staid gentility prevailed. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 Ferrara’s arrival in New York City and subsequent entry into the movie business is presented as something like a case of recidivism, a dive from suburban gentility into the cauldron of steaming garbage that was Fun City–era Manhattan. — Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 But for many Southerners, the changing accent represents the conflict between progress and tradition, between growing demographic and economic power, and the gauzy gentility and family-centric nature of the traditional American South. — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Mar. 2026 In modernizing and Americanizing the Charles Dickens novel, Alfonso Cuarón expunged many of Great Expectations’s subplots in favor of a 1998-friendly romantic drama that cemented Paltrow as an emblem of gentility. — Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gentility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentility
  1. manners
  2. nobility
  3. elegance
  4. aristocracy
  5. gallantry
  6. gentry
  7. politeness
  8. attentiveness
Noun
  • The Colorado attorney general oversees more than 700 attorneys and staff and manages legal manners spanning consumer protection, civil rights, criminal, water, constitutional and environmental law.
    — Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • The causes and manners of death for all six victims will not be officially determined until toxicology testing and the investigation are complete, Rabbitt said.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 26 June 2026
Definition of manners
Noun
  • Gustaf Lagerbielke, a 26-year-old center back, comes from a line of nobility, particularly Counts, in his home country.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • This piece of jewelry, worn by Princess Elisabeth, was a wedding gift from the Belgian nobility to Mathilde on the occasion of her wedding in 1999.
    — Marta Martínez Tato, Vanity Fair, 24 June 2026
Definition of nobility
Noun
  • Their French 75, which is made with cognac, lemon and muscadet, is a perfect example thanks to a beautiful balance of elegance and ingenuity.
    — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • Below a chair rail in this hall and stairway are raised panel inserts, while an elaborate crown molding adds beauty and elegance.
    — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026
Definition of elegance
Noun
  • Orangeries, once a status symbol for European aristocracy, are a glamorous accoutrement in large town or country houses.
    — Zoë Dare Hall, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • At last, Jones also thought, there was a chance to spotlight the dynamic between North Wales‘ working-class community and its aristocracy on the big screen, a corner of Britain’s social history that has long been sidelined.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026
Definition of aristocracy
Noun
  • During the reception, Princess Kate shared an emotional moment with Tony Gledhill, a former Metropolitan Police officer who received the George Cross for gallantry in 1966.
    — Helen Murphy, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
  • In 2020, Magawa received the PDSA Dickin medal for gallantry, which recognizes heroism in animals.
    — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026
Definition of gallantry
Noun
  • Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Grammer will play Lord Fairfax, the unofficial leader of the Virginia gentry who has a complicated relationship to young George Washington as both his crucial mentor and as the father of his romantic rival.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Definition of gentry
Noun
  • The board member who survives every conversation about them has been preserved not by respect but by politeness.
    — Audrey Russo, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Good bathroom etiquette here is less about politeness than safety, since a crowded aisle is something the crew would rather avoid.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026
Definition of politeness
Noun
  • That attentiveness showed up in small ways throughout our stay.
    — Alisha Prakash, Travel + Leisure, 27 June 2026
  • In the past 15 years, and especially in the last five, our city has seen an influx of pizza restaurants and chefs who’ve brought a diversity of styles and an attentiveness to elevated ingredients and approaches.
    — Peter St. Onge Updated June 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026
Definition of attentiveness

Browse Nearby Words

gentilesse
gentility
gentle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gentility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gentility. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on gentility

Nglish: Translation of gentility for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All