GENTILITIES Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

gentility

noun

jen-ˈti-lə-tē

Definition of gentility

as in manners

speech or behavior that is a sign of good breeding was full of the same gentility and grace that marked the rest of the family

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in nobility

the highest class in a society as members of the gentility, they felt an obligation to help the less fortunate

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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 gentility But the glory and gentility that had been the Pontchartrain was gone. — Rick Bragg, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2026 In modernizing and Americanizing the Charles Dickens novel, Alfonso Cuarón expunged many of Great Expectations’s subplots in favor of a 1998-friendly romantic drama that cemented Paltrow as an emblem of gentility. — Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2025 Ferrara’s arrival in New York City and subsequent entry into the movie business is presented as something like a case of recidivism, a dive from suburban gentility into the cauldron of steaming garbage that was Fun City–era Manhattan. — Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 But this was close to the borderline of gentility. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gentility

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentility

Noun

Abroad, it will be interpreted as representing the manners of all Americans, so your embarrassment is understandable.

— Judith Martin, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
While the children are still young, Kate, who has partnered with JonnyPops on the brand’s Magic of Kindness campaign, has made good manners a priority in her household.

— Genevieve Uzamere, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026

Definition of manners

Noun

Gustaf Lagerbielke, a 26-year-old center back, comes from a line of nobility, particularly Counts, in his home country.

— Chris Branch, New York Times, 26 June 2026
This piece of jewelry, worn by Princess Elisabeth, was a wedding gift from the Belgian nobility to Mathilde on the occasion of her wedding in 1999.

— Marta Martínez Tato, Vanity Fair, 24 June 2026

Definition of nobility

Noun

Orangeries, once a status symbol for European aristocracy, are a glamorous accoutrement in large town or country houses.

— Zoë Dare Hall, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
At last, Jones also thought, there was a chance to spotlight the dynamic between North Wales‘ working-class community and its aristocracy on the big screen, a corner of Britain’s social history that has long been sidelined.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026

Definition of aristocracy

Noun

In World Cup lore, however, his gallantry is doomed to be overshadowed by that of his fellow-goalkeeper from Cabo Verde, Vozinha, who had already produced an uncanny impersonation of a brick wall on the fourth day of the tournament.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
In all of these cases, the effect is largely the same—forging intimacy through some level of generosity or gallantry, coupled with pure, physical proximity—and in 2026, all of them are still technically possible.

— Sara Delgado, Vogue, 9 July 2026

Definition of gallantry

Noun

Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Grammer will play Lord Fairfax, the unofficial leader of the Virginia gentry who has a complicated relationship to young George Washington as both his crucial mentor and as the father of his romantic rival.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025

Definition of gentry

Noun

Southworth started focusing more specifically on civility, decency, and politeness after COVID, when many employees were fleeing the hospitality industry—all while the membership at their clubs was doubling.

— Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
The board member who survives every conversation about them has been preserved not by respect but by politeness.

— Audrey Russo, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of politeness

Noun

That attentiveness showed up in small ways throughout our stay.

— Alisha Prakash, Travel + Leisure, 27 June 2026
In the past 15 years, and especially in the last five, our city has seen an influx of pizza restaurants and chefs who’ve brought a diversity of styles and an attentiveness to elevated ingredients and approaches.

— Peter St. Onge Updated June 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026

Definition of attentiveness

Browse Nearby Words

gentilesse

gentility

gentle

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“Gentility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gentility. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of gentility

noun

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