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debonair

adjective

ˌde-bə-ˈner How to pronounce debonair (audio)
Definition of debonairnext
1
as in nonchalant
having or showing freedom from worries or troubles his debonair dismissal of my inquiry concerning his financial situation led me to believe that nothing was wrong

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sophisticated
having or showing very polished and worldly manners the debonair gentleman charmed all of the ladies in the room

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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 debonair Pierce Brosnan brought a suave, debonair approach, while Daniel Craig introduced a gritty realism and vulnerability to Bond. — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 17 June 2026 Hong Kong icon Tony Leung has channeled brooding urban energy for the masterpieces of Wong Kar-Wai, balancing the debonair ennui of Marcello Mastroianni with the quiet watchfulness of Montgomery Clift. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 May 2026 Field played Miranda Hillard, Daniel’s ex-wife, while Pierce Brosnan portrayed her debonair new love interest, Stu. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 7 May 2026 Weirdly debonair, for a teenager. — Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for debonair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debonair
  1. nonchalant
  2. sophisticated
  3. carefree
  4. suave
  5. insouciant
  6. graceful
  7. cavalier
  8. civilized
Adjective
  • Then Gurov takes that famous bite of watermelon, a metaphor for what has just happened and his nonchalant reaction to it.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Zizou Bergs Zizou Bergs served nonchalant-cool boy vibes upon his arrival to New York City for the US Open, rocking an oversized charcoal graphic tee from Golden Goose paired with voluminous black trousers and his personalized Golden Goose shoes.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of nonchalant
Adjective
  • Modern submarine programmes involve sophisticated engineering, propulsion, sensors, communications, combat systems and long-term industrial support.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Only truly sophisticated taste, in this code, grasps the superiority of deprivation over the more ethnic notions of actual comfort and good food.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of sophisticated
Adjective
  • Their bouncy attitudes inevitably mold the vast open country in their own carefree image.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
  • From spatulas, spoons, and salad forks to tongs, ladles, and measuring cups, shop our favorite plastic-free kitchen utensils below for carefree cooking.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of carefree
Adjective
  • Someone with aura is confident, cool, collected, and suave; someone without aura is insecure, cringey, or generally uncool.
    — Stephanie Kasulka, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In the first series, Bateman plays Vince, a charismatic and chaotic screw-up who reunites with his brother, suave bar owner Jake (Jude Law).
    — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of suave
Adjective
  • Midi lengths refuse to commit to long or short camps, settling in the middle for a moment that's polished and truly insouciant.
    — Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
  • There is nothing insouciant about me.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of insouciant
Adjective
  • Urbanie Lucero’s choreography and movement direction maintain the production’s graceful poise.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • From curved pulls to squiggly handles, and even a style finished off with a metal tassel, these operate as graceful accessories to enhance old and new furnishings.
    — Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of graceful
Adjective
  • What makes this emptiness more bothersome is the cavalier way Wingard wields the imagery of rogue, militarized killers wreaking havoc on the American landscape.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Perhaps most viscerally, given the ever-present specter of nuclear annihilation during the Cold War, Capps was appalled by Falwell’s apocalyptic rhetoric and cavalier posture toward global destruction.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of cavalier
Adjective
  • From the week Vandell opened in early December, crowds have gathered outside its forest-green door and down its patch of Los Feliz sidewalk, waiting to join the civilized chaos inside.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • At least in civilized society, which is what Screencaps Nation is all about.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of civilized

Browse Nearby Words

debits
debonair
debrief
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Cite this Entry

“Debonair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debonair. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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