gentler
ˈjent-lər 
-tᵊl-ər
; gentlest
ˈjent-ləst
-tᵊl-əst
1
3
: moderate
His doctor recommended gentle exercise.
4
a
: belonging to a family of high social station
b
: honorable, distinguished
specifically
: of or relating to a gentleman
d
: suited to a person of high social station
the gentle art of sophisticated conversation
e
archaic
: chivalrous
: a person of gentle (see gentle entry 1 sense 4a) birth or status
gentled; gentling
ˈjent-liŋ
ˈjen-tᵊl-iŋ
1
2
: to raise from the commonalty : ennoble
: to become gentle
the wind gentled
Examples of gentle in a Sentence
Adjective
a dog that is gentle with children
Your mother has a gentle manner.
a gentle sense of humor
I heard a gentle knock at the door.
It's a delicate problem that requires gentle handling.
The job requires a gentle touch.
The cold snap was a gentle reminder that winter was coming.
Noun
the archbishop treated both the gentles and the commoners with respect and kindness
Verb
employees soon learned that their hot-tempered boss needed to be gentled several times a day
soothingly gentled his cat's head as she was being treated by the vet
Recent Examples on the Web
Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 5 July 2025
Hand wash with gentle soap and cold water, avoiding soaking, and use a mesh bag if machine washing is necessary.
—Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2010
Using a gentle, pulling motion, carefully lift your money tree from its pot.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2025
Ew Staff, EW.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Further, there’s some worry that by spending thousands of years finding and gentling (or executing) male channelers, humanity has begun to self-select channeling out of the gene pool.
—ArsTechnica, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gentle
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Adjective
With four smart modes (cool, gentle, fast, and style) and magnetic attachments like a diffuser and concentrator, the Zuvi puts you in control.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 5 July 2025
Hand wash with gentle soap and cold water, avoiding soaking, and use a mesh bag if machine washing is necessary.
—Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
Noun
The Nissan Leaf is limited only by the range of its battery’s charge
Anne-Marie Corley
31 Mar 2010
4 min read
First a left turn, then a speedy stretch, and then a gentle, swishing zigzag through a parade of orange cones.
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2010
Using a gentle, pulling motion, carefully lift your money tree from its pot.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
Respectively played by Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, the brash Seth is the yin to gentle Evan's yang.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Further, there’s some worry that by spending thousands of years finding and gentling (or executing) male channelers, humanity has begun to self-select channeling out of the gene pool.
—ArsTechnica, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gentle
Cite this Entry
“Gentle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gentle. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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