1
as in polite
following the established traditions of refined society and good taste
those bygone days when young women were taught how to drink tea while wearing long gloves and other genteel ways of behaving
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in civilized
having or showing a taste for the fine arts and gracious living
she grew up in genteel old Savannah
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3
as in aristocratic
of high birth, rank, or station
the genteel ladies never mixed with the servants prohibited by reason of her genteel birth from marrying the man she loved
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4
as in gracious
showing consideration, courtesy, and good manners
his genteel gesture of holding the door for the ladies
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of genteel
Located between Austin and Houston, Washington County has preserved a small-town feel and genteel Texas traditions.
—
Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2025
But that proves more easily said than done when Ulysses starts to notice a few cracks in Normal’s genteel exterior.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 15 Sep. 2025
Giving Wickham a nice holiday tan would be a bridge too far for the genteel world of Jane Austen.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025
Unexpected for everyone but Nancy, who has secretly invited a genteel Italian émigré and her eligible grandson to dinner, in hopes of fixing up her unwed pregnant granddaughter with a suitable partner.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for genteel
Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2025
But that proves more easily said than done when Ulysses starts to notice a few cracks in Normal’s genteel exterior.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 15 Sep. 2025
Giving Wickham a nice holiday tan would be a bridge too far for the genteel world of Jane Austen.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025
Unexpected for everyone but Nancy, who has secretly invited a genteel Italian émigré and her eligible grandson to dinner, in hopes of fixing up her unwed pregnant granddaughter with a suitable partner.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for genteel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for genteel
Adjective
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The 2025 study showed that when users dropped the polite fluff and went straight to the point, ChatGPT's accuracy ticked upward.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
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And while offering to help clean up is polite, Jokilehto says there’s a right way to do it.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Gauls had been described as barbarians by Julius Caesar and Livy, but now had become these Ur people, far more ancient and civilized than their ancient Roman detractors.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
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Instead, Moon, high on ayahuasca, crashes a plane into their territory, effectively disappearing himself from civilized society.—
Maggie Doherty,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Despite initial criticism that the updates were too aristocratic or extravagant, according to the White House Historical Association, the architecture is now an integral part of the White House’s appearance.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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When both young people meet their end the Baron saves Christina by putting Hans’ brain in Christina’s body, uniting their blurred identities in a joint thirst for revenge, creating a Gothic avenger who hunts down the aristocratic ruffians who ruined their happiness.—
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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How selfish of Fred Warner, goodness gracious.—
Michael Nowels,
Mercury News,
20 Oct. 2025
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That was a constant refrain in the life of this gracious philanthropist from Roslindale.—
Joe Dwinell,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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October marks the proper start of fall, and there’s no better time to plan an autumnal getaway—luckily, Amazon is overflowing with deals on everything from cozy layers to lightweight weekenders, plus hiking gear that can handle the crisp mornings.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
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The tour ended at a ranch, where we were greeted with cold towels, bottled water and a proper Vincy breakfast—a reward that made the early wake-up worth it.—
Essence,
Essence,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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His goal to seal the win against Italy — a lung-busting run and cultured finish in the dying moments — helped to illustrate the impressive engine at the heart of Cremaschi’s game.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Because each cell type is cultured separately, they can be genetically edited to study specific diseases or therapeutic responses.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Dohnányis came from a Hungarian noble family that traced its roots back centuries.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
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Boots works hard to insist that while there might be a few bad apples along the way, there’s noble work to be done in the armed forces.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Tuesday administrative order from the court bars civil arrests, without a warrant, of a party or witness to proceedings at the local courthouse, within and around any of the Cook County courthouses.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Oct. 2025
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The bureau’s work has led to nearly $20 billion in direct relief to consumers and $5 billion in civil penalties for alleged wrongdoing.—
Andy Kroll,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Genteel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/genteel. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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