good-natured

adjective

good-na·​tured ˈgu̇d-ˈnā-chərd 

: of a pleasant and cooperative disposition

good-naturedly adverb

good-naturedness noun

Synonyms of good-natured

• gracious
• pleasant
• nice
• amiable
• sweet

Choose the Right Synonym for good-natured

amiable, good-natured, obliging, complaisant mean having the desire or disposition to please.

amiable implies having qualities that make one liked and easy to deal with.

an amiable teacher not easily annoyed

good-natured implies cheerfulness or helpfulness and sometimes a willingness to be imposed upon.

a good-natured girl who was always willing to pitch in

obliging stresses a friendly readiness to be helpful.

our obliging innkeeper found us a bigger room

complaisant often implies passivity or a yielding to others because of weakness.

was too complaisant to protest a decision he thought unfair

Examples of good-natured in a Sentence

the guests at the party were a good-natured bunch

Recent Examples on the Web

Asian Journey finds a fine balance between juicy yet good-natured conflict between participants and an amiable rambling quality that gives the travelog structure a bit of unpredictability. —Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Jan. 2026

The comment made both Chalamet and Jenner laugh in the audience as the pair seemed good-natured about the barb. —Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026

It certainly can be deployed sincerely, yet it’s almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026

As the two catch up, Crudup veers from good-natured to sorrowful to bitter to menacing in a matter of minutes. —Jenelle Riley, Variety, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for good-natured

• denatured
• natured

Kids Definition

good-natured

adjective

good-na·​tured

ˈgu̇d-ˈnā-chərd

: of a pleasant cheerful disposition

good-naturedly adverb

good-naturedness noun