grace

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: 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
2
a
: 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 heritageRudyard Kipling
d
: disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency
e
: a temporary exemption : reprieve
3
a
: 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 youthJohn 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
8
a
: sense of propriety or right
had the grace not to run for elective officeCalvin Trillin
b
: the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful
accepted his advice with grace

grace

2 of 2

verb

graced; gracing

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 statuesJ. A. Michener
Choose the Right Synonym for grace

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
Here’s the complicated part we’re all supposed to forget: Pop superstars are just people, worthy of grace, but also rich people, worthy of scrutiny. Chris Richards, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Looking back, Blockbuster’s fall from grace in the eyes of the public still haunts Keyes. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 But Lund’s outspoken support of socialism and subsequent allegiance to the Nazi regime during World War II led to her fall from grace. Stephen Cox, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 Putting yourself out there and making a difference requires all of them, along with a dash of grace. Melinda Fouts, Ph.d., Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 India’s startup scene is grappling with the company’s fall from grace and contemplating how it got so swept up by the charms of a tutor-turned-entrepreneur. Pallavi Pundir, Fortune Asia, 1 Mar. 2024 If Tom’s early days with Dickie flicker with the energy of a dynamo pulling him into his orbit, his time with Peter is tender, a moment of grace. Hazlitt, 28 Feb. 2024 The designer brought a sense of grace to the five-stateroom vessel—no small feat for what is essentially a large trawler. Christopher King, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2024 To give grace because that’s all some of our people have. Lisa Bubert, Longreads, 27 Feb. 2024
Verb
On Thursday, while gracing the purple carpet at the premiere of the new season of her show Girls5eva, the Waitress star, 44, revealed the status of planning her nuptials to her fiancé, actor Joe Tippett, 42. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 The celebrated actress recently stepped out with her new beau, Jonathan Majors, to grace the red carpet at the 7th annual African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) Special Achievement Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 8 Mar. 2024 According to Joanna Gaines Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse is a six-episode show featuring a mid-century modern lakefront home in a Waco neighborhood the couple hasn't yet graced with their renovation magic. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2024 Erie, Pennsylvania The only large city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to be graced by the Moon’s umbra is Erie, which, with its 100,000 residents, sits on the shore of the Great Lake that bears its name. Michael E. Bakich, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024 Iris Apfel's influence spanned decades, peaking in the 1980s and 90s while gracing Paris fashion shows for over 50 years. Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 With his face and handcuffed wrists gracing murals throughout the West Bank, Barghouti is said to transcend factions, logging support across parties and territories — in the West Bank and Gaza, among Islamists and secular nationalists alike. Loveday Morris, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 The rodeo officially kicks off Tuesday with artists such as Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, 50 Cent, Jelly Toll, Luke Bryan and Lainey Wilson set to grace the stage each night. USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024 Some of these treasures, sacred in their rarity, only grace the public eye for a fleeting month every few decades. Kissa Castañeda, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

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

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin gratia favor, charm, thanks, from gratus pleasing, grateful; akin to Sanskrit gṛṇāti he praises

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grace was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near grace

Cite this Entry

“Grace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grace. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

grace

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: help given to people by God in overcoming temptation
b
: a state of freedom from sin enjoyed through divine grace
2
: a short prayer at a meal
3
a
: approval, favor
stayed in the boss's good graces
b
: a special favor : privilege
c
: a temporary delay granted from the performance of an obligation (as the payment of a debt)
4
a
: a charming trait or quality
b
: ease of movement
walks with grace
5
used as a title for a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop
graceful
-fəl
adjective
gracefully
-fə-lē
adverb
gracefulness noun

grace

2 of 2 verb
graced; gracing
1
: honor entry 2 sense 1b
deeds that graced the town
2
Etymology

Noun

Middle English grace "help from God," from early French grace (same meaning), from Latin gratia "favor, charm, thanks," from gratus "pleasing, thankful, agreeable" — related to agree, congratulate, gracious, gratitude

Legal Definition

grace

noun
1
: a special favor : privilege
considered by many authorities to be a matter of grace and not of rightThe Mentally Disabled and the Law
2
a
: a temporary exemption
b
: the prerogative of mercy exercised (as by a chief executive) or granted in the form of equitable relief

More from Merriam-Webster on grace

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