GENTLENESS Synonyms: 202 Similar and Opposite Words

gentleness

noun

Definition of gentleness

as in kindness

the quality of having a generally kind and agreeable manner The students quickly learned that despite their new teacher's gentleness, good grades had to be earned through hard work.

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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 gentleness Practice kindness, and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control. — Jann E. Freed, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 Firm if slightly sweaty handshake notwithstanding, there’s a gentleness to Root; old-school manners, slender shoulders and a reedy Sheffield twang. — James Wallace, New York Times, 22 May 2026 Yes, with the wonderful Massoumeh, an extraordinary person, with this gentleness and intelligence everyone knows. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 15 May 2026 Each with a bespoke gentleness to their rhythms, these newest works by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Koji Fukada, and grand master Hirokazu Koreeda have been met with differing degrees of enthusiasm, per the many critics’ grids floating around. — Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for gentleness

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentleness

Noun

All of us are invited to choose to become better human beings and to show up at work and in the world with increasing love, kindness, courage and forgiveness.

— Mikhail Shneyder, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
That instinct to lean into life with curiosity, optimism, and kindness is, perhaps, America's greatest attraction.

— Divia Thani, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026

Definition of kindness

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

Noun

Commentary and opinions More money and patience could help California’s vote count.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
The historical setting suits the filmmaker’s penchant for patience and precision, and its confounding intrigue keeps with his love of complex mind games.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026

Definition of patience

Noun

Employees may appreciate the flexibility, but if customers experience slower service, inconsistent support, or reduced responsiveness, the model becomes difficult to sustain.

— Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Leaders should set realistic workload expectations as well as confirm availability, deadlines and responsiveness.

— Priya Krishnan, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of responsiveness

Noun

Their willingness to take on the risk of crossing the narrow waterway is crucial for the normalization of the oil market, still recovering from a historic four-month crisis.

— Weilun Soon, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Public Act 26-108 reflects a willingness by lawmakers from both parties to evaluate promising treatments through research rather than assumption.

— John R. Gordon, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026

Definition of willingness

Noun

For example, a person with a high tolerance with opioids would see reduced tolerance under the drug.

— Gavin Escott, USA Today, 6 July 2026
The state’s Holocaust Education Bill, passed in 1994, requires every school district to teach the Holocaust with the explicit aim of building tolerance, nurturing democratic values, and confronting what indifference produces.

— Masha Pearl, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026

Definition of tolerance

Noun

But a wiser course might be to emphasize a kind of counter-nostalgia, reclaiming a mythic past for the forces of tolerance and democratic generosity.

— Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Perhaps subsequent history shows that his generosity of spirit was misplaced.

— James Traub, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026