as in graceful
having or showing elegance
his courtly manners made him a favorite escort of widowed socialites
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Recent Examples of courtly
When Elsbeth meets Alec (Ivan Hernandez) at a benefit (on the courtly arm of Dr. Yablonski, who has now popped up in each of Elsbeth’s three seasons to date), the aspiring mayoral candidate comes across as a Zohran Mamdani–inflected unifier.
—
Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 7 Nov. 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
Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 7 Nov. 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
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Your next house could be this graceful French mansion, previously owned by both the late German designer and by European royalty.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
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Offer graceful leadership and listen to quieter voices, because shared success grows when everyone feels included and heard.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Matter—slim, dark-haired, attired in a dark blue zip-up sweater and matinee idol handsome—is a natural entertainer who savored every moment holding a mic.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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The idea is that in a society that has allegedly become hostile to men—male privilege coded as toxic masculinity, and so on—the only way for boys to gain an edge is to be handsome.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Depending on the combination, this creates either a clean, almost futuristic appeal or a soft, elegant look.—
Jana Ackermann,
Glamour,
28 Mar. 2026
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Van Beirendonck gravitates toward loud prints in bright colors and allusions to BDSM, whereas Van Saene makes elegant cocktail dresses for women with bow details and shrunken cardigans.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Henry Clay Frick House, er, mansion, spans an entire city block along Fifth Avenue—and nearly every inch is filled with the art enthusiast’s collection of old master paintings and fine furniture.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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The charges against him each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of $10,000.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The lobby also houses a large jet that appears to be the $400-million aircraft gifted to Trump by the royal family of Qatar in May 2025.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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The Forme of Cury (circa 1390), compiled by Richard II’s royal chefs, included recipes for pickled herring and onions, using spices like saffron to enhance flavor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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More significant and symbolic than an ultimately gallant failure in Mumbai was the moment Harry Brook effectively dropped the World Cup with the last mistake of what has been the most turbulent period of his meteoric rise to become one of the best batters in the world.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Courtly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courtly. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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