1
as in hospitable
showing a natural kindness and courtesy especially in social situations
a gracious host who goes out of his way to make every guest feel welcome
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pleasant
having an easygoing and pleasing manner especially in social situations
a gracious innkeeper whose jokes and laughter made weary travelers feel right at home
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in polite
showing consideration, courtesy, and good manners
he was a gracious man, habitually offering his seat on the bus to elderly women
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gracious
For some science, the discoveries will be limited by whatever the sky is gracious enough to give—a star must explode for the Rubin Observatory to spot a new supernova, for example.
—
Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 1 July 2025
Miss Manners is certain that your heartfelt gratitude, in the form of a gracious and appreciative handwritten letter, will be thanks enough.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 27 June 2025
To their credit, the Heat have been gracious in their credit to the Panthers.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2025
The food was unfussy and full-flavored, the service gracious, and the staff — from the spa therapists to the bakers — seemed genuinely happy to be here.
—Rooksana Hossenally, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for gracious
Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 1 July 2025
Miss Manners is certain that your heartfelt gratitude, in the form of a gracious and appreciative handwritten letter, will be thanks enough.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 27 June 2025
To their credit, the Heat have been gracious in their credit to the Panthers.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2025
The food was unfussy and full-flavored, the service gracious, and the staff — from the spa therapists to the bakers — seemed genuinely happy to be here.
—Rooksana Hossenally, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for gracious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gracious
Adjective
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But the people tasked with reviewing the project at its next step may not be as hospitable.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
3 July 2025
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Until recently, the top of women’s tennis was a hospitable place for prodigies.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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Like, so deeply moral and kind and pleasant and smart.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
14 July 2025
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Like so deeply moral and kind and pleasant and smart.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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From a software engineering perspective, being polite is a waste of resources.—
Adrian Bridgwater,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
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Just be polite and point out the issue at checkout.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Best Prime Day Robot Vacuum Deals Need a friendly little robot to tidy up your house?—
Nena Farrell,
Wired News,
10 July 2025
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But if oil prices remain middling, even friendly policies might not compel companies to significantly ramp up drilling.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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And, the embroidery on the pillowcases adds a nice touch.—
Shalwah Evans,
People.com,
14 July 2025
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The units also vary in shape: the cube is nice for nightstands, while the wider grand size works well on large dressers.—
Jamie Fischer,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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While plaintiff opposition reflects legitimate concerns, these can be addressed with thoughtful defense strategies.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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Sunfish is a thoughtful, beautiful amalgam of four stories taking place simultaneously over one summer in Michigan; each monumental in their own way.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Those with kindly outlooks might believe that people comfy with that kind of damage might not understand its impact.—
Pat Beall,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 July 2025
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The kindly matriarch wins over Amélie by feeding her white chocolate, and thus a first human connection is made.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
5 July 2025
Adjective
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Use this bag as a late-afternoon sweet treat or combine with other trail mixes for the ultimate snacking concoction.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 July 2025
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The strawberry cake is oily-moist, with a treacly sweet frosting.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gracious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gracious. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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