1
as in services
an act of kind assistance
did me the courtesy of loaning me his jacket
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gestures
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners
the greeting "How are you?" is often intended as no more than a courtesy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of courtesies
With both courtesies and catastrophes refusing to conform, the canton’s school board, publishers, and clergy were forced to produce multiple editions of primers, textbooks, and catechisms; sometimes five parallel print runs were needed for a population the size of a town.
—
Simon Akam, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Leonora measures out her days in courtesies and slights, the former dominating the beginning of the book, the latter rapidly gaining ground.
—Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Simon Akam, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Leonora measures out her days in courtesies and slights, the former dominating the beginning of the book, the latter rapidly gaining ground.
—Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for courtesies
Noun
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Wednesday's Child on CBS Colorado For more information about services for kinship care families or to learn more about the Heart Gallery, call Raise the Future at (303) 755-4756 or 1(800) 451-5246 or go to the Raise the Future website.—
Libby Smith,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Piantedosi presided over a meeting of law enforcement and intelligence services on Tuesday to discuss security for the Games.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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From arrival to the smallest gestures, everything flows naturally, guided by near-invisible discretion, care that is felt rather than seen.—
María Casbas,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Jan. 2026
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But Crockett puts equal value on the small gestures.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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People convicted of crimes now enter the state prison at level 2 and must wait at least eight months to move to level 4, which allows for the most privileges.—
Ashlynd Baecht,
The Frontier,
6 Jan. 2026
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In October, King Charles stripped his younger brother Prince Andrew of all royal titles and privileges, leaving him a commoner known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Venezuela began releasing some political prisoners Thursday, as the country’s new leaders seek to stay in Washington’s good graces while maintaining their grip on power.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
8 Jan. 2026
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His daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, have remained in the Windsor dynasty's good graces following Andrew's banishment.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
29 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Trust your ability to attract money to you or, perhaps, favors and practical support will come your way.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
23 Jan. 2026
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For calling in all the favors to turn out all the biggest musicians and entertainers to contribute to making his movie better?—
Elizabeth Rosner,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Courtesies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courtesies. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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