gallant 1 of 3

1
as in valiant
feeling or displaying no fear by temperament a gallant firefighter, rushing into the burning house to save the children a gallant rescue

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

gallant

2 of 3

noun

1
as in dude
a man extremely interested in his clothing and personal appearance he was quite a gallant, primping more than either of his sisters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

gallant

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective gallant contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of gallant are chivalrous, civil, courteous, and polite. While all these words mean "observant of the forms required by good breeding," gallant and chivalrous imply courteous attentiveness especially to women. gallant suggests spirited and dashing behavior and ornate expressions of courtesy.

a gallant suitor of the old school

Where would chivalrous be a reasonable alternative to gallant?

The words chivalrous and gallant can be used in similar contexts, but chivalrous suggests high-minded and self-sacrificing behavior.

a chivalrous display of duty

When could civil be used to replace gallant?

While the synonyms civil and gallant are close in meaning, civil often suggests little more than the avoidance of overt rudeness.

owed the questioner a civil reply

When can courteous be used instead of gallant?

Although the words courteous and gallant have much in common, courteous implies more actively considerate or dignified politeness.

clerks who were unfailingly courteous to customers

When might polite be a better fit than gallant?

The words polite and gallant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, polite commonly implies polish of speech and manners and sometimes suggests an absence of cordiality.

if you can't be pleasant, at least be polite

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 gallant
Adjective
For nearly a century after the Civil War, terroristic lynchings of Black men in the South were frequently justified as gallant acts by white men to protect their wives and daughters. Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 16 Apr. 2025 An elaborate ideology confers legitimacy upon the Kim family: according to the country’s founding myth, Kim Il Sung led a gallant band of guerilla fighters in the bitter winds of Manchuria to defeat the Japanese, liberate the Korean people, and establish the North Korean state. Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2010 In stereotypical movies, the gallant hero saves the damsel through daring, dramatic action. Amanda Nguyen, TIME, 3 Mar. 2025 But at the very end, America's Democratic majority came home to Carter in a late surge that flooded polling places in party strongholds across the nation and stopped Ford's gallant comeback just short of victory. Peter Goldman, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for gallant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gallant
Adjective
  • Panthers in an 0-2 hole in the series Despite a valiant effort once again in the third — putting up 37 shot attempts and 15 scoring chances (including 10 high-danger chances) — the Panthers fell 4-3 to the Maple Leafs and are now 0-2 in the best-of-7 series.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 8 May 2025
  • The Mets’ late-inning shortcomings squandered a valiant effort by Waddell, who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday to provide length as the Mets deployed a bullpen game.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • Which one of her books was turned into a 1995 film directed by Ang Lee, from a script written by Emma Thompson? 2 of 5 What is the name of the series that adapts Julia Quinn’s Regency-era romance novels about eight siblings in a noble family and their adventures in London’s high-society world?
    J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • Follows Anton Abildgaard, a noble cavalry officer hoping to complete his military training with distinction.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • One-day entry costs $60 ($25 for students), or $80 for unlimited visits through Tuesday, a modest price for a magnificent experience to see masterpieces that may be on view for the first or last time.
    Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
  • In an era that looked as if it might be defined by an American man of depraved cruelty, corruption, and shame, what a magnificent thing the Catholic Church has done.
    Jason Lemon, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • Jesus was single, never married; Disciples were all dudes ….
    Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 14 May 2025
  • Those are three really, really talented, strong, athletic dudes playing outside hitter for these teams.
    Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • At the party, Steven and Taylor almost kiss, but her boyfriend shows up and tries to fight Steven.
    Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 20 May 2025
  • Karen Read’s second murder trial entered its fifth week of witness testimony as prosecutors continue to build their case against the Massachusetts woman accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • The princess doesn’t only want a man’s riches but the whole package – a husband with money that will romance her.
    Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Belinda's son Zion was originally meant to romance Piper in the season 3 finale, but that scene got scuttled due to time restraints.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The event series is based on The Old Testament’s Book of Genesis and told through the eyes of the courageous and passionate, yet flawed women whose descendants would shape three of the world’s great faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 May 2025
  • The segment famously saw Piper remove Gowen's prosthetic leg, instantly establishing his courageous character.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • In fact, 89% of C-suite marketers recognize that employees can bring great value to their businesses as influencers.
    Sarah Goodall, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
  • Lima Beans 126 mg per cooked cup, or 30% DV In addition to providing magnesium, beans and lentils like lima beans are a great source of fiber and the B vitamin folate.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 20 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gallant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gallant. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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