gracious

adjective

gra·​cious ˈgrā-shəs How to pronounce gracious (audio)
1
a
: marked by kindness and courtesy
a gracious host
b
: characterized by charm, good taste, generosity of spirit, and the tasteful leisure of wealth and good breeding
gracious living
c
d
: marked by tact and delicacy : urbane
2
: merciful, compassionate
used conventionally of royalty and high nobility
my gracious lord, the Duke of Windsor
3
a
archaic : pleasing, acceptable
b
obsolete : godly
graciously adverb
graciousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for gracious

gracious, cordial, affable, genial, sociable mean markedly pleasant and easy in social intercourse.

gracious implies courtesy and kindly consideration.

the gracious award winner thanked her colleagues

cordial stresses warmth and heartiness.

our host was cordial as he greeted us

affable implies easy approachability and readiness to respond pleasantly to conversation or requests or proposals.

though wealthy, she was affable to all

genial stresses cheerfulness and even joviality.

a genial companion with a ready quip

sociable suggests a genuine liking for the companionship of others.

sociable people who enjoy entertaining

Examples of gracious in a Sentence

This is not a surprise given the welcome, gracious atmosphere, the uncommon competence of the kitchen, with its familiar Little Italy Italian menu … and the restaurant's credible wine list. Mark Bittman, New York Times, 26 June 2002
If there are not too many in the group, you might inquire solicitously about their health. If you are in a particularly gracious mood, you might even give them a brief resume of your physical condition. Groucho Marx, letter, 15 Nov. 1951, in The Groucho Letters1987
Phoebe closed her eyes, seeing her father moving like a shadow among his guests, gracious, smiling, pouring wine and exchanging greetings. Judith Berry Griffin, Phoebe the Spy, 1977
The reception started in orderly enough fashion—gracious and leisurely. Paula Locker, the President of the Club, met me at the door, and I took my place in line with her, with Fishbait Miller doing the introducing. Lady Bird Johnson, A White House Diary, 1970
Thank you for your gracious hospitality. The magazine promotes gracious living.
Recent Examples on the Web Ngannou was gracious in defeat when talking of the decisive blow and made comparisons to Fury post-fight. Thomas Schlachter, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 Fifteen years his junior, gracious and at ease in public appearances, Ms. Mulroney was regarded as an asset in Mr. Mulroney’s campaigning. Alan Cowell, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 And that family is among the most gracious in the NFL, constantly giving back to the community and to charitable causes championed by Bills players and even players from opposing teams. USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2024 Threets has publicly responded to all of these insults with kindness, encouraging his followers not to harass anyone and accepting apologies with a gracious smile and Mr. Rogers quote. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024 Do poke fun at the industry, but only at agents The rule of Oscar campaigning is to be gracious to everyone in any part of the industry. Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Additionally, highlighting family-friendly policies such as gracious parental leave and caregiver support programs can further demonstrate a commitment to work-life balance and employee well-being. Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 For others, demonstrations of gracious defeat should be honed. Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Highlights of the home include gracious formal living and dining rooms, a den with polished antique paneling and a floral ceiling mural, and an up-to-date eat-in kitchen that steps down to a family room with a television mounted on either side of a fireplace. Mark David, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2024

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

Middle English, from Anglo-French gracieus, from Latin gratiosus enjoying favor, agreeable, from gratia

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3b

Time Traveler
The first known use of gracious was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near gracious

Cite this Entry

“Gracious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gracious. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gracious

adjective
gra·​cious ˈgrā-shəs How to pronounce gracious (audio)
1
: marked by kindness and courtesy
2
: pleasing or attractive in motion or form
gracious ballet steps
3
: characterized by charm, good taste, and politeness
gracious living
graciously adverb
graciousness noun
Etymology

Middle English gracious "having received divine grace," from early French gracieus (same meaning), from Latin gratiosus "enjoying favor, agreeable," from gratia "favor, thanks," from gratus "pleasing, agreeable, thankful" — related to grace, gratitude

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