1
as in gracious
having an easygoing and pleasing manner especially in social situations
a genial host who makes a point of speaking personally to each and every guest
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in warm
having or showing kindly feeling and sincere interest
genial new neighbors who helped us unpack boxes and brought us dinner our first night in the new place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hospitable
showing a natural kindness and courtesy especially in social situations
his genial offer to give me his seat on the bus
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4
as in temperate
marked by temperatures that are neither too high nor too low
wanted to move to a more genial clime for health reasons
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as in sweetness
the state or quality of having a pleasant or agreeable manner in socializing with others
her unforced geniality never fails to draw fellow passengers into a conversation with her
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of genial
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 20 May 2025
In the aftermath of Radford’s breakthrough, OpenAI’s leadership—especially the genial Altman and his co-founder and chief scientist, the faintly shamanistic Ilya Sutskever—made a series of pivotal decisions.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
The moment came after Obama, Biden and late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel had a friendly conversation onstage where the president fielded genial questions from his predecessor and the comedian that highlighted his political and legislative achievements.
—Anna Commander
sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
This bit of cautiously positive news came just after this board met with the genial Midwest consul general of China, Wang Baodong, and some of his staff and had a wide-ranging discussion, including on the tense state of affairs between the two countries, one these diplomats bemoan.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for genial
Adjective
George Wendt, the actor known for playing the genial, beer-guzzling barfly Norm Peterson on all 11 seasons of the classic sitcom Cheers, died Tuesday at 76.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 20 May 2025
In the aftermath of Radford’s breakthrough, OpenAI’s leadership—especially the genial Altman and his co-founder and chief scientist, the faintly shamanistic Ilya Sutskever—made a series of pivotal decisions.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
The moment came after Obama, Biden and late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel had a friendly conversation onstage where the president fielded genial questions from his predecessor and the comedian that highlighted his political and legislative achievements.
—Anna Commander
sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
This bit of cautiously positive news came just after this board met with the genial Midwest consul general of China, Wang Baodong, and some of his staff and had a wide-ranging discussion, including on the tense state of affairs between the two countries, one these diplomats bemoan.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for genial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for genial
Adjective
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Everyone on set was so gracious and created such a safe space.—
Jennifer Adams,
StyleCaster,
5 June 2025
-
Though the mill and its towering chimney are long gone, the house remains—gracious, elegant, and full of period charm.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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The husband greeted Qasem Hassan with a warm smile.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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These warm doors can accelerate growth, shorten sales cycles and unlock strategic opportunities that cold outreach or paid ads rarely can.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
Adjective
-
This wasn’t a neighborhood that seemed hospitable to strangers.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 June 2025
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The citizens are famously hospitable and love to meet visitors.—
Terry Elward,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Today, these ants primarily live in undisturbed and temperate eastern North American forests.—
Lauren Thomann,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2025
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Best Time to Visit Locals know the fall and winter tend to be the best times to visit St. George Island for temperate weather, smaller crowds, and lower humidity.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
6 May 2025
Adjective
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Comedy is also having a moment because of people are looking for a pleasant escape given the political nightmare currently gripping this nation.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
9 June 2025
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This modern adaptation of a traditional country farmhouse features a welcoming front porch, which has ample room for two or three people to sit and relax on a pleasant day.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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The family friendly festival from noon to 6:30 p.m. will feature bands performing Americana, rock, hip hop, blues and folk.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2025
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During public remarks in 2022, Justice Elena Kagan – one of the court’s three liberal justices − spoke out against sweeping injunctions and the ability of challengers to find one friendly judge to issue such an order.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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The finish is medium-length, clean, and refreshing with a lingering gentle warmth and a smooth aftertaste.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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What soon follows is a gradual, gentle introduction to a wide ensemble of characters with torrid histories — which is to say, falling-outs over drag show disagreements — as zombie mayhem slowly creeps in through the corners of the frame.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
10 June 2025
Adjective
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That this wrap-up happens on the stoop of an apartment building provides a nice callback to Past Lives.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2025
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Reyes was a nice spring training story, but the Yankees were fooled by meaningless February and March stats.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Genial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/genial. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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