diplomatic

adjective

dip·lo·mat·ic ˌdi-plə-ˈma-tik

Synonyms of diplomatic next

: paleographic

: exactly reproducing the original

a diplomatic edition

: of, relating to, or concerned with the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations : of, relating to, or concerned with diplomacy or diplomats

diplomatic relations

: employing tact and conciliation especially in situations of stress

a diplomatic way to say no

diplomatically

ˌdi-plə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for diplomatic

suave, urbane, diplomatic, bland, smooth, politic mean pleasantly tactful and well-mannered.

suave suggests a specific ability to deal with others easily and without friction.

a suave public relations coordinator

urbane implies high cultivation and poise coming from wide social experience.

an urbane traveler

diplomatic stresses an ability to deal with ticklish situations tactfully.

a diplomatic negotiator

bland emphasizes mildness of manner and absence of irritating qualities.

a bland master of ceremonies

smooth suggests often a deliberately assumed suavity.

a smooth salesman

politic implies shrewd as well as tactful and suave handling of people.

a cunningly politic manager

Examples of diplomatic in a Sentence

Negotiators are working to restore full diplomatic relations. a diplomatic attempt at preventing any hurt feelings

Recent Examples on the Web Even more relevant to funding is the United States, still the biggest donor to the U.N. in raw financial terms and a key diplomatic ally of Israel. —

Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 6 Dec. 2023 His diplomatic maneuvers may have been important during the Cold War. —

Jianli Yang, National Review, 5 Dec. 2023 Is there a – in the end, is there a diplomatic solution that is still possible? —

ABC News, 3 Dec. 2023 In dealing with Hamas, however, the course forward should be clear: Take any and all diplomatic and military advice from the Biden administration and do the opposite. —

WSJ, 3 Dec. 2023 All major climate agreements at COP meetings, including the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 and the Paris Agreement in 2015, were the result of diplomatic negotiations. —

Peter Vanham, Fortune, 30 Nov. 2023 Regardless, Kissinger offered political and diplomatic backing to Pinochet’s government. —

Norman Kempster, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2023 But an American commitment to a sustained diplomatic process grounded in international law would be a giant leap toward a secure and peaceful future for both peoples. —

Matthew Duss, Foreign Affairs, 27 Nov. 2023 The first pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas is set to begin now, a diplomatic breakthrough that is set to see the release of 13 hostages from Gaza later this morning in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli jails. —

Anna Schecter, NBC News, 24 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'diplomatic.' 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

in sense 1, from New Latin diplomaticus, from Latin diplomat-, diploma; in other senses, from French diplomatique connected with documents regulating international relations, from New Latin diplomaticus

First Known Use

1711, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of diplomatic was in 1711

See more words from the same year