Synonym Chooser

How is the word amiable distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of amiable are complaisant, good-natured, and obliging. While all these words 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

When is complaisant a more appropriate choice than amiable?

The words complaisant and amiable can be used in similar contexts, but complaisant often implies passivity or a yielding to others because of weakness.

was too complaisant to protest a decision he thought unfair

Where would good-natured be a reasonable alternative to amiable?

While the synonyms good-natured and amiable are close in meaning, 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

When could obliging be used to replace amiable?

The synonyms obliging and amiable are sometimes interchangeable, but obliging stresses a friendly readiness to be helpful.

our obliging innkeeper found us a bigger room

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of amiable The fine lighting, thick tablecloths, settings and stemware are first class, and the waitstaff, since my last visit a few years back, is now measurably improved in its amiable professionalism. John Mariani, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025 This, the series contends, is a matter of control, as even mild readings interject personality (so, politics) into an artist’s production, and even amiable curators answer to their higher power. Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 25 Mar. 2025 Thune, a fourth-term senator from South Dakota, is an awkward leader for Trump’s ruthless Republican Party, in part because even Democrats invariably describe him as amiable and honest. David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025 Onstage, Wood is unhurried, an amiable man who, despite being 46, has the countenance of a churchgoing grandfather who still starches his Sunday suit. Ismail Muhammad, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for amiable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amiable
Adjective
  • Perry was also quite gracious when another fan in the crowd handed her an album to sign.
    Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 14 May 2025
  • And yet when people need a portal into or proxy for spiritual awakening, Alice Coltrane’s music often becomes integral, a newfound household name, because her staggered textures are gracious enough to accommodate both the ascetic and the philistine.
    Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But overall, this affordable bed frame offers a good mix of pleasant aesthetics and practical storage solutions.
    Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 15 May 2025
  • She’s made a feel-good movie about people who, for the most part, aren’t feeling all that good, leaving the viewer with a pleasant aftertaste that fades away as soon as the last song ends.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Half Dome comes with a footprint, which is a rarity these days, and nice to have.
    Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 16 May 2025
  • However, a very nice man let us in, much to the chagrin of a lady who did not want to let us in.
    Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Amiable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amiable. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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