POLITENESS Synonyms: 112 Similar and Opposite Words

politeness

noun

Definition of politeness

as in manners

speech or behavior that is a sign of good breeding the little girl's politeness greatly impressed her teacher

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in gesture

an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners inquiring after his wife was a simple politeness

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 politeness There’s a certain kind of gentility and politeness, and then on the flip side, dark humor and grotesquerie. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026 Is the nation’s vaunted politeness actually just passive-aggressiveness? — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2026 The dynamic between the parents and the perpetrators steadily escalates from politeness to hostility to eventual torture, all while maintaining a frustrating attitude of inevitability and justification toward the former’s fate. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 She’s used to chief stews who yell and is thrown off by Aesha’s politeness. — Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026 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 Good bathroom etiquette here is less about politeness than safety, since a crowded aisle is something the crew would rather avoid. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026 For the most part, CTA personnel act with grace and politeness, although the sour drivers can influence the riders’ experiences as well. — Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for politeness

Noun

Swift drops clues in all manners and the Swifties almost always unearth the meaning behind them.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
On the one hand, Julian Fellowes’ juicy melodrama enlists one of the finest ensembles imaginable to bring outsized intensity to a drama of manners.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of manners

Noun

Nordrum’s expressive eyes setting the scene for what might be the most romantic gesture in literature (and movie) history.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
The gestures of moving, being, and breathing coalesced for Kristin as this poem, which emerged from the state of presence that is meditation-in-action.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of gesture

Noun

The rest of the kitchen is pretty in pink, courtesy of a rosy Zia Tile backsplash and mosaic countertops by Concrete Collaborative.

— Tori Latham, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026
Hell, even recurring characters drop off without so much as the courtesy of a sickening demise.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of courtesy

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

Flashbacks of sartorial elegance from the 1890s are unmistakable here, but the luxe, boutique property is also down-to-earth and comfortable.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
The look was also reminiscent of the understated elegance of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, Conor’s late aunt by marriage.

— Alexandra Macon, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of elegance

Noun

The civility of the evening was evident to former Sacramento City Councilmember Jay Schenirer, who has been a member of Congregation B’nai Israel for more than 40 years.

— Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Walking and chatting with the blind man seemed to me the best possible introduction to Toronto, its temper, its welcome, its civility.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of civility

Noun

Surely most people would prefer to see big cuts to federal agencies made with thoughtfulness and care?

— Sheelah Kolhatkar, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026
The thoughtfulness extends to every nook and cranny of the property— for instance, in the fitness center, guests can spin on Pelotons equipped with Hulu and Netflix.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of thoughtfulness

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politely

politeness

politesse

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“Politeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/politeness. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of politeness

noun

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