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
Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
The Hermann Farm museum also includes a collection of historic buildings along with beautiful Shire horses—large, gentle animals bred, raised, and trained on the farm.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2025
Zinc oxide is a key ingredient in most infant diaper creams so its ultra gentle.
—Bea McMonagle, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
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
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.
Adjective
Together the flavor is muddled, slightly discordant, but alone the Irish whiskey gets to sing, its apples and pears and slight malt and gentle touch a perfect foil to the zesty front palate of the lemon and the deep finish of the almonds.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
The Hermann Farm museum also includes a collection of historic buildings along with beautiful Shire horses—large, gentle animals bred, raised, and trained on the farm.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
Using a gentle, pulling motion, carefully lift your money tree from its pot.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2025
Zinc oxide is a key ingredient in most infant diaper creams so its ultra gentle.
—Bea McMonagle, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
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 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share