as in graceful
having or showing elegance
his courtly manners made him a favorite escort of widowed socialites
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 courtly
This single feast, emblematic of Fes’s cuisine, carries the taste of the courtly table of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad, the flavors served at the Alhambra in Islamic Andalucia, a blend of West African spices, and Amazigh know-how.
—
Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Dec. 2025
And so, despite some emotionally satiating patriotic rhetoric on the campaign trail, Carney was deferential and complimentary to Trump on his courtly visit to the Oval Office shortly after winning the election.
—Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
The Tale of Genji ’s early chapters are rooted in fairy-tale monogatari, but the book soon metamorphoses into its own strange thing, a courtly romance that follows Prince Genji over his half century of life, and then, after Genji’s death, takes up the lives of the next generation.
—Lauren Groff, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
Not long after her wedding to Wu Ding, her father-in-law the king died, and the family was obligated to formally mourn and abstain from courtly life for three years.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for courtly
Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Dec. 2025
And so, despite some emotionally satiating patriotic rhetoric on the campaign trail, Carney was deferential and complimentary to Trump on his courtly visit to the Oval Office shortly after winning the election.
—Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
The Tale of Genji ’s early chapters are rooted in fairy-tale monogatari, but the book soon metamorphoses into its own strange thing, a courtly romance that follows Prince Genji over his half century of life, and then, after Genji’s death, takes up the lives of the next generation.
—Lauren Groff, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
Not long after her wedding to Wu Ding, her father-in-law the king died, and the family was obligated to formally mourn and abstain from courtly life for three years.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for courtly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for courtly
Adjective
-
The graceful curve of a corner kick.—
Miceal Chamberlain,
Boston Herald,
19 May 2026
-
They can be filled with a cool, soothing, graceful fern or bright blooms that celebrate the heat of summer.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
It had, in fact, been rejected by all three major networks despite Lear’s handsome pedigree (his previous shows included the unequivocal successes All in the Family and Maude).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
To top it off, Rousey was able to secure a handsome payday for herself and Carano while also positioning herself to become a promoter and player in the MMA world as one of the faces of MVP MMA.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
The bottoms don’t just feel more elegant, but are a quick way to make outfits appear upscale whether they’re styled with a T-shirt and sneakers or a button-up shirt and ballet flats.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
The palate is velvety and elegant, balancing weight with restraint.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Special props to the jolly axe-throwing head of adventure, Nye Rees; personable Brasserie maitre d’, Javier Padron; and trainer Peter Sullivan, who explained the finer points of fasting for women whilst crucifying my glutes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
-
Lewis’s account of Southern cooking established what are now basic premises of American fine dining.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Since their bombshell royal exit in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have rewritten the rulebook with Hollywood deals, tell-all interviews and headline-grabbing moves, reportedly drawing growing concern from palace aides and senior royals.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
-
Anne, widely regarded as one of the hardest-working members of the royal family, serves as patron of more than 300 organizations and has long championed causes tied to health, veterans, youth programs and disability support.—
Paloma Chavez,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
But the Ballances were more than gallant warriors – in fact, a life-size oil painting of Marti’s great-grandfather Charles Ballance’s wife and children – including her grandfather Willis as a 3-year-old – hangs in a place of honor at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
And Texas made a gallant comeback to tie the game at 77-77 when Pope coolly sank three consecutive free throws after getting fouled behind the arc with 3.8 seconds remaining.—
Kirk Bohls,
Houston Chronicle,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Courtly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courtly. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
