1
as in aristocracy
the highest class in a society
poor tenant farmers working for landed gentry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in class
one of the segments of society into which people are grouped
the old-line yachting gentry frowns on vulgar displays of wealth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gentry
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
This differed from Europe, where land ownership was immobilized by gentry classes who housed and employed farmers.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 June 2025
These bodies have historically overwhelmingly catered to a tiny sliver of the population — predominantly white, gentry liberals.
—Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
Members of Virginia’s gentry chafed at this ban, and Washington had spent years lobbying Dunmore to use his influence to reverse this restriction.
—Andrew Lawler, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gentry
Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
This differed from Europe, where land ownership was immobilized by gentry classes who housed and employed farmers.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 June 2025
These bodies have historically overwhelmingly catered to a tiny sliver of the population — predominantly white, gentry liberals.
—Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
Members of Virginia’s gentry chafed at this ban, and Washington had spent years lobbying Dunmore to use his influence to reverse this restriction.
—Andrew Lawler, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gentry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentry
Noun
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On the show, Ha, a maid, meets Bridgerton, whose family is of high-ranking aristocracy, at a masquerade ball, where her identity is concealed by a mask.—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
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According to Deirdre Clemente, a fashion and culture historian, the emergence of the suit as the standard for men in the 18th and 19th centuries was itself a rebellion against the ornate, flashy and colorful clothing associated with aristocracy.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Although this year’s edition of the Oscars, which aired on ABC on March 15, was hardly in the class of the 1972 installment, there was at least one moment that recalled Johnson’s witty, graceful sendup of stars commandeering the ceremony to climb atop their soapbox.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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The union represents more than 900 non-tenure faculty who teach about a quarter of classes.—
Naomi Ruchim,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Gamecocks are new-age nobility in women’s basketball.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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The design once enjoyed by Javanese nobility references the sacred Javanese architectural vernacular style of saka guru, which represents the cardinal directions and has spiritual significance too.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Architectural Digest,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Counter to the notion that a focus on caste and community is insular and, therefore, detrimental to business, Jayaraman embraces his heritage with a certain chutzpah and a largesse that makes customers return with their friends and family.—
Kalpana Mohan,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
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That comes with his caste and class.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The usual group of folks embracing the challenge of a rebuild are minimum-salary journeymen looking for a fair opportunity, and draftees the team selects.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
18 Mar. 2026
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What most folks may not know is that the strait is also the gateway for much of the world's fertilizer.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Having worked together at Hofstra in 2006-07, then again at Duke in 2022-23, there is a level of cohesion between them.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
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Illinois voters decide their party’s nominees for races at the federal and state levels, as well as in a few local races, during the March 17 primary election.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Filmmakers will recreate his performance using AI, with support from his estate.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
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Kilmer's family is supportive of the movie and provided the production with younger images of him to use, according to Variety, which notes the estate was also compensated.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gentry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gentry. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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