1
: displaying grace (see grace entry 1 sense 1) in form or action : pleasing or attractive in line, proportion, or movement
a graceful dancer
the graceful neck of a swan
2
: exhibiting control, good manners, or kindness
As his empire crumbled amid the … scandal, he defiantly refused a graceful exit.—
Jonathan Alter et al.
Jonathan Alter et al.
gracefulness
noun
Synonyms of graceful
Examples of graceful in a Sentence
He has become a very graceful dancer.
the graceful movements of a ballerina
She was a graceful young woman with delicate features.
the long, graceful neck of a swan
His writing is clear and graceful.
There was no graceful way to say no to their offer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Offer graceful leadership and listen to quieter voices, because shared success grows when everyone feels included and heard.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Despite the brief anthem blunder, Jackson’s graceful recovery and candid response served as a reminder that even the most experienced performers are human — and that pressing forward after a mistake is a skill all its own.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Tyler Seguin’s aging hasn’t been the most graceful, either (and injuries could be a factor behind that).
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Although this year’s edition of the Oscars, which aired on ABC on March 15, was hardly in the class of the 1972 installment, there was at least one moment that recalled Johnson’s witty, graceful sendup of stars commandeering the ceremony to climb atop their soapbox.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for graceful
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Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Despite the brief anthem blunder, Jackson’s graceful recovery and candid response served as a reminder that even the most experienced performers are human — and that pressing forward after a mistake is a skill all its own.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Tyler Seguin’s aging hasn’t been the most graceful, either (and injuries could be a factor behind that).
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Although this year’s edition of the Oscars, which aired on ABC on March 15, was hardly in the class of the 1972 installment, there was at least one moment that recalled Johnson’s witty, graceful sendup of stars commandeering the ceremony to climb atop their soapbox.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for graceful
Cite this Entry
“Graceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graceful. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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