1
as in soothing
not harsh or stern especially in nature or effect
use a gentle detergent on that delicate silk blouse her gentle ways
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in temperate
marked by temperatures that are neither too high nor too low
whisk the egg yolks in a double boiler set over a gentle heat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aristocratic
of high birth, rank, or station
loved reading about the days when gentle lords and ladies danced at fancy balls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in soft
not loud in pitch or volume
the mother spoke in a gentle voice to her child
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in noble
a man or woman of high birth or social position
the archbishop treated both the gentles and the commoners with respect and kindness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to appease
to lessen the anger or agitation of
employees soon learned that their hot-tempered boss needed to be gentled several times a day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to caress
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
soothingly gentled his cat's head as she was being treated by the vet
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to soften
to lessen the shock of
adding a bit of sugar to the salsa will gentle the hot spiciness of the chili peppers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 gentle
Ezra Fox
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
The palate starts with a gentle arrival of sweet corn, cherries in syrup and vanilla wafers, followed by assorted hard candy, barley sugars, clove and a touch of ginger.
—Chris Perugini, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2024
This gentle for your skin option features collagen, and other ingredients known to help lock in moisture in your skin for reduced risk of eczema breakouts.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2024
Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Lee: Agreed—and there are even more of those contrivances popping up around how the One Power seems to function, especially around stilling and gentling and shielding.
—Andrew Cunningham & Lee Hutchinson, Ars Technica, 29 Sep. 2023
See All Example Sentences for gentle
Adjective
Besides the usual weather report and family gossip, Fanny’s father was consistently supportive of her writing, urging her not to rush through life too quickly, offering gentle advice in tough times without pretending to know it all, full of that Howe family wit and humor.
—Ezra Fox
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
The palate starts with a gentle arrival of sweet corn, cherries in syrup and vanilla wafers, followed by assorted hard candy, barley sugars, clove and a touch of ginger.
—Chris Perugini, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Noun
Thursday’s weather will be mostly sunny, with a gentle to moderate breeze expected, although there will be occasional gusts up to 23 mph.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2024
This gentle for your skin option features collagen, and other ingredients known to help lock in moisture in your skin for reduced risk of eczema breakouts.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2024
Verb
The material doesn’t want sophisticated adults mucking about in it or, worse, gentling its hard edges for commercial consumption.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Lee: Agreed—and there are even more of those contrivances popping up around how the One Power seems to function, especially around stilling and gentling and shielding.
—Andrew Cunningham & Lee Hutchinson, Ars Technica, 29 Sep. 2023
See All Example Sentences for gentle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentle
Adjective
-
But beneath their soothing prompts lie important questions: How effective are these tools?—
Pooja Shree Chettiar,
The Conversation,
10 July 2025
-
In tea form, turmeric and garlic create a soothing, nutrient-rich herbal tonic.—
Chelsea Rae Bourgeois,
Health,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
The list includes places like Malta, a five-island nation with terrific beaches, a temperate climate and low crime, and Belize, the only Central American country with English as its official language.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
Rain put somewhat of a damper on things during the day Friday with stages closing early and the start time for the stadium shows pushed back to 9 p.m. But fans were still eager to enjoy the temperate 75-degree night with some of country music's biggest stars.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
Marten, 38, grew up in a wealthy, aristocratic family with ties to the royal family.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
19 July 2025
-
Audiences online have reveled in this pivot from Hoult, whose aristocratic vibe has made for great period dramas but never juiced his off-duty style.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Expected soft opening: August 2025 Details: 1325 Grand Ave., Suite 6, Phoenix.—
Bahar Anooshahr,
AZCentral.com,
21 July 2025
-
The creamy, dual-action formula works to unclog keratin plugs without irritation, leaving areas such as the backs of the arms and thighs feeling noticeably softer.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
20 July 2025
Noun
-
Landscape paintings and portraits of nobles jostled for attention alongside historical paintings and imagined scenes from Shakespeare’s plays.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 July 2025
-
Its patriarch, Eugenio, began supplying a few hundred liters of wine to small stores and nobles residing there.—
Irene S. Levine,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
The courtroom was so overcrowded at one point that town officials warned the building might collapse, prompting the judge to set up a temporary court outside to appease the masses.—
Angele Latham,
The Tennessean,
10 July 2025
-
In the marathon overnight session that spanned more than 24 hours, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and his team made several eleventh-hour changes to appease holdouts like Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who had expressed concerns about the bill’s cuts to social safety net programs.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
The camera caresses her, slicing her body into limbs, arcs, glints of effort.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
10 July 2025
-
Every single person who worked on the film caressed and massaged this sequence, including through post.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
5 July 2025
Verb
-
On the campaign trail, the president spent time courting faith leaders throughout the country, often refusing to soften his language in those venues as well.—
Lalee Ibssa,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
-
By then, Trump had softened his tariff stance and the markets had rebounded accordingly.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gentle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gentle. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share