grace

noun

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\ ˈgrās

Definition of grace

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification

b : a virtue coming from God

c : a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance

2a : approval, favor stayed in his good graces

b archaic : mercy, pardon

c : a special favor : privilege each in his place, by right, not grace, shall rule his heritage— Rudyard Kipling

d : disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency

e : a temporary exemption : reprieve

3a : a charming or attractive trait or characteristic Among disagreeable qualities he possessed the saving grace of humor.

b : a pleasing appearance or effect : charm all the grace of youth— John Buchan

c : ease and suppleness (see supple entry 1 sense 2b) of movement or bearing danced with such grace

4 —used as a title of address or reference for a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop

5 : a short prayer at a meal asking a blessing or giving thanks

6 Graces plural : three sister goddesses in Greek mythology who are the givers of charm and beauty

7 : a musical trill, turn, or appoggiatura

8a : sense of propriety or right had the grace not to run for elective office— Calvin Trillin

b : the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful accepted his advice with grace

grace

verb

graced; gracing

Definition of grace (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to confer dignity or honor on The king graced him with the rank of a knight.

2 : adorn, embellish graveled walks graced with statues— J. A. Michener

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About grace

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Choose the Right Synonym for grace

Noun

mercy, charity, clemency, grace, leniency mean a disposition to show kindness or compassion. mercy implies compassion that forbears punishing even when justice demands it. threw himself on the mercy of the court charity stresses benevolence and goodwill shown in broad understanding and tolerance of others. show a little charity for the less fortunate clemency implies a mild or merciful disposition in one having the power or duty of punishing. the judge refused to show clemency grace implies a benign attitude and a willingness to grant favors or make concessions. by the grace of God leniency implies lack of severity in punishing. criticized the courts for excessive leniency

Examples of grace in a Sentence

Noun She walked across the stage with effortless grace. She handles her problems with grace and dignity. He has shown remarkable grace during this crisis. She is quite lovable despite her lack of social graces. Let us give thanks for God's grace. By the grace of God, no one was seriously hurt. She tried to live her life in God's grace. Verb Several marble statues grace the courtyard. I hope that you will grace our gathering with your presence.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The book stands out for its raw power, poignance, and moments of grace. — Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Sep. 2021 Even an act of grace gets a touch of blowback these days. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, 4 Aug. 2021 There’s a level of grace there, but each unabashed movement often works to encourage his onlookers to do away with inhibition and bust their own respective move. — Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 1 Aug. 2021 The traceability requirements agreed as part of the grace periods in December 2020 to ensure that the food products concerned are only sold to consumers in supermarkets in Northern Ireland are not complied with. — BostonGlobe.com, 27 July 2021 Her family said that kind of grace was a lifelong trait. — Dallas News, 18 July 2021 But the tide may be changing: An increasing number of banks are introducing services including grace periods and small short-term loans that provide less-punitive alternatives — if users qualify. — New York Times, 22 June 2021 The United Kingdom has unilaterally extended grace periods on some checks on goods crossing into Northern Ireland, which the European Union argues contravenes the Brexit deal that came into force this year. — Hanna Ziady, CNN, 15 June 2021 The restaurant appears well-tailored, trim and bearing all the grace notes of contemporary interior design standards. — Jacques Kelly, baltimoresun.com, 12 June 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb For those in search of a new set of sheets to grace your bed, hundreds of Amazon shoppers suggest the Carressa Linen 4-Piece Sheets Set, which is currently up to 50 percent off. — Amy Schulman, PEOPLE.com, 8 Sep. 2021 On top of being a successful singer-songwriter and one of the biggest stars to grace TikTok, LILHUDDY — a.k.a Chase Hudson — is also making some manicure dreams come true. — Samantha Olson, Seventeen, 19 Aug. 2021 Other reggaeton acts set to grace the stage at Amway Center include Papi Juancho in October, Farruko in December and Bad Bunny in March. — Patrick Connolly, orlandosentinel.com, 17 Aug. 2021 The third act to grace the Billboard Live Yokohama stage was Faky, a five-member girl group including Hina, one of the hosts of the evening. — Billboard Japan, Billboard, 21 June 2021 Three children’s productions will grace the stage of the Mimi Ohio Theatre in 2022, as a part of Playhouse Square’s children’s theater series. — Anne Nickoloff, cleveland, 19 Aug. 2021 Marie Kondo, the queen of all things organizing and cleaning, will soon grace our screens yet again—this time, in a new Netflix series appropriately dubbed Sparking Joy With Marie Kondo. — Mary Elizabeth Andriotis, House Beautiful, 16 Aug. 2021 The Pogues, the Kooks, and a couple new faces are back to grace our screens, hunt for gold and, in true Netflix teen drama style, gratuitously make out a lot. — refinery29.com, 4 Aug. 2021 Season 6 will take the royals to the early 2000s; though the future Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met at St. Andrew's around then, a character channeling Kate Middleton is not expected to grace the small screen. — Janine Puhak, PEOPLE.com, 17 Aug. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grace.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.