as in gracious
formal
willing or eager to please other people
a complaisant young intern who happily accepted any task
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Recent Examples of complaisant
Most casual chatbot users might be forgiven for finding their interlocutor banal or complaisant.
—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
In this frigid state, electrons become complaisant enough to forgo their usual resistance and flow frictionlessly.
—Dan Garisto, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2025
Now, each time is like this, complaisant, Emil pretending to be only half awake.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Every day, Congress and the media stand by in complaisant silence that tells the rest of the world we U.S. citizens cannot be trusted to elect prudent leaders.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025
However, Imperial County landowners and complaisant U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials ignored that limit, allowing rapid consolidation of land, says Andrés, who wrote his doctoral dissertation on the county’s early years.
—Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 9 Nov. 2023
Last month Ferrari lofted its banners over a resort near the southern port of Cagliari and invited journalists to test-drive the new Ferrari Roma Spider, taking advantage of the excellent tarmac, ideal weather and complaisant authorities.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 5 Oct. 2023
Overall, the song feels like a deep analysis and reflection on the complaisant position men may take in love and relationships, giving us a track that reams out awful boyfriends and the mindless behavior of their partners who continue to allow them back into their lives to act this way.
—Abby Dupes, Seventeen, 21 May 2022
But Ohio shouldn’t get complaisant.
—Julie Washington, cleveland, 8 Apr. 2021
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
In this frigid state, electrons become complaisant enough to forgo their usual resistance and flow frictionlessly.
—Dan Garisto, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2025
Now, each time is like this, complaisant, Emil pretending to be only half awake.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Every day, Congress and the media stand by in complaisant silence that tells the rest of the world we U.S. citizens cannot be trusted to elect prudent leaders.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025
However, Imperial County landowners and complaisant U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials ignored that limit, allowing rapid consolidation of land, says Andrés, who wrote his doctoral dissertation on the county’s early years.
—Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 9 Nov. 2023
Last month Ferrari lofted its banners over a resort near the southern port of Cagliari and invited journalists to test-drive the new Ferrari Roma Spider, taking advantage of the excellent tarmac, ideal weather and complaisant authorities.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 5 Oct. 2023
Overall, the song feels like a deep analysis and reflection on the complaisant position men may take in love and relationships, giving us a track that reams out awful boyfriends and the mindless behavior of their partners who continue to allow them back into their lives to act this way.
—Abby Dupes, Seventeen, 21 May 2022
But Ohio shouldn’t get complaisant.
—Julie Washington, cleveland, 8 Apr. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complaisant
Adjective
-
Knight Acknowledged the Bond Between the Teams Even while addressing a situation that could easily breed division, Knight was gracious toward her male counterparts.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Alternatively, it can be maintained as a gracious single-family home with easy access to Bonn, Cologne, and Frankfurt.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
At the base of Mount Annupuri, the hotel is perfectly positioned for guests to jump straight on a gondola and onto the slopes, with countless ski and snowboard trails, high-quality off-piste powder skiing, and scenic family-friendly routes through the forests.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Raglan is a charming surf town on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island where the vibes are laidback and friendly.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The rooms All eight rooms are distinct, but feature thoughtful luxuries throughout—Matouk linens, smart TVs, and minibars stocked with wellness shots and facial masks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Kayce is an amazing character, but Luke is really thoughtful and smart.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And the traditional companies are proving more amenable to helping anchors launch new ventures.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Yermak’s successor, Kyrylo Budanov, a lieutenant general and spymaster who now leads Ukraine’s negotiating team, has been more amenable to compromises, even on the question of territory.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The fort was as agreeable as Thompson could have possibly hoped.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Sean McVay, who also collaborates with the agreeable Snead on the roster, coaches the team.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complaisant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complaisant. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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