gentles 1 of 2

plural of gentle
as in nobles
a man or woman of high birth or social position the archbishop treated both the gentles and the commoners with respect and kindness

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gentles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of gentle
1
2
3
as in softens
to lessen the shock of adding a bit of sugar to the salsa will gentle the hot spiciness of the chili peppers

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentles
Noun
  • Across much of Europe until the 20th century, these cabin-like compartments would carry voyaging nobles over oceans and mountains in ‘bed carriages’ aboard ships and trains.
    Chloe Frost-Smith, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Casting black actors as Anglo-Saxon nobles is only the most in-your-face example of this problem.
    Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Then Jennifer Tilly’s hand gently caresses Gina Gershon’s face from her cheek down to her chin.
    James Factora, Them., 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • That initial white chocolate softens into something creamier and woodier as the hours pass.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone and softens the cervix to prepare the body for expulsion.
    Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Ablin focuses on dividend growers, albeit with a shorter track record than dividend aristocrats, that are also high-quality companies.
    Michelle Fox, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
  • But soon Islamic scholars became recognized as the second-highest status group, ranking below aristocrats but above the merely wealthy.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The rich, creamy formula hydrates skin deeply, soothes redness, and helps strengthen the skin's barrier, leaving everything feeling balanced.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Watching a room full of diners realize how they’re supposed to eat that really soothes the soul.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The clip, shared by Sarah Ingle (@saraheingle), a dedicated dog fosterer, shows seven-month-old Cookie Crisps nestled in her arms while Ingle gently pats her bottom.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • As a matter of fact, pats on the back are probably very few and far between.
    Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Redford played Officer Harold Beldon, a gentle embodiment of Death who comforts an elderly woman terrified of dying.
    Hannah Parry Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
  • For me, that comforts and strengthens my faith.
    Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Henry brushes it off as a nightmare; after Bug moves on, Beauchamp strokes the medallion and sings himself to sleep.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 22 Aug. 2025
  • In the town’s maternity ward, the only functioning facility of its kind for miles, Taisiya strokes Assol, her daughter born Sunday into a world where suddenly the risks of being in Sloviansk have multiplied.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Gentles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gentles. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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