congenial

adjective

con·​ge·​nial kən-ˈjē-nē-əl How to pronounce congenial (audio)
-ˈjēn-yəl
1
a
: pleasant
especially : agreeably suited to one's nature, tastes, or outlook
a congenial atmosphere
b
: sociable, genial
a congenial host
c
: existing or associated together harmoniously
2
: having the same nature, disposition, or tastes : kindred
congenial companions
congenially adverb

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The History of Congenial Is Spiritual

According to ancient mythology, each person at birth was assigned a guardian spirit. The Latin name for this attendant spirit was genius. Two people who get along well together can be thought of as sharing a similar spirit. They might even be described by a word combining the Latin prefix com- (meaning "with, together") and genius—in English congenial.

Examples of congenial in a Sentence

She moved on, leaving behind the world of politics for the more congenial sphere of the arts. Amy Fine Collins, Vanity Fair, March 2001
Jackson may walk up to home plate with the cool strut of a superstar, but off the field he is warm and congenial. Peter Gammons, Sports Illustrated, 12 June 1989
It turned out to be, for me, one of the most congenial and, in a way, lustrous gatherings that I have ever had in the White House. Lady Bird Johnson 4 May 1965, in A White House Diary1970
The town is a congenial place for raising children. We studied in the congenial atmosphere of the library. He found the work to be congenial. She was congenial and easygoing.
Recent Examples on the Web The vibe is also congenial: A multi-generational, full-capacity crowd claps in time to the ebullient techno between games and cheers in unison when an announcement reveals that a Polish couple who’ve just got engaged here will be enjoying top-tier hospitality for the rest of the tournament. Nick Scott, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2024 The two-term governor received criticism for being too congenial with his Republican rival and seemingly befuddled in the national spotlight for most of the 90-minute debate. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2024 At work, Matty slowly gains the respect and trust of her much younger colleagues — the tightly wound type-A overachiever Sarah (Leah Lewis) and the more congenial working-class Billy (David Del Rio). Ronda Racha Penrice, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Thanks to the intimate space and a respectful but enthusiastic audience, Martin seemed warm and congenial, pointing at specific people in the crowd and sticking his tongue out for fans’ cameras. Joe Lynch, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019 See all Example Sentences for congenial 

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

Word History

Etymology

com- + genius

First Known Use

circa 1625, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of congenial was circa 1625

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Dictionary Entries Near congenial

Cite this Entry

“Congenial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/congenial. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

congenial

adjective
con·​ge·​nial kən-ˈjē-nyəl How to pronounce congenial (audio)
1
: having the same disposition, interests, or tastes
2
: suited to one's nature or tastes : agreeable
congeniality
-ˌjē-nē-ˈal-ət-ē
-ˌjēn-ˈyal-
noun
congenially adverb

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