as in gracious
formal
willing or eager to please other people
a complaisant young intern who happily accepted any task
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of complaisant
However, Imperial County landowners and complaisant U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials ignored that limit, allowing rapid consolidation of land, says Andrés, who wrote his doctoral dissertation on the county’s early years.
—
Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 9 Nov. 2023
Last month Ferrari lofted its banners over a resort near the southern port of Cagliari and invited journalists to test-drive the new Ferrari Roma Spider, taking advantage of the excellent tarmac, ideal weather and complaisant authorities.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 5 Oct. 2023
Overall, the song feels like a deep analysis and reflection on the complaisant position men may take in love and relationships, giving us a track that reams out awful boyfriends and the mindless behavior of their partners who continue to allow them back into their lives to act this way.
—Abby Dupes, Seventeen, 21 May 2022
But Ohio shouldn’t get complaisant.
—Julie Washington, cleveland, 8 Apr. 2021
In each case, the man has an energetic wife who has continued making public appearances while her husband retreats behind a veil of discretion at which a complaisant press seems reluctant to tug.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 3 Mar. 2023
Private institutional investors such as BlackRock and Vanguard tend to be more complaisant about CEO pay — except for European funds.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023
His admirers included such luminaries as U.S. Sen. Robert Wagner, all of whom turned a complaisant eye to the married Crater’s other life as a randy stage-door johnny with a mistress and a harem of chorus girls and Polly Adler hookers.
—Edward Kosner, WSJ, 20 June 2022
Administrations since have learned not to be so complaisant.
—WSJ, 20 May 2022
Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 9 Nov. 2023
Last month Ferrari lofted its banners over a resort near the southern port of Cagliari and invited journalists to test-drive the new Ferrari Roma Spider, taking advantage of the excellent tarmac, ideal weather and complaisant authorities.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 5 Oct. 2023
Overall, the song feels like a deep analysis and reflection on the complaisant position men may take in love and relationships, giving us a track that reams out awful boyfriends and the mindless behavior of their partners who continue to allow them back into their lives to act this way.
—Abby Dupes, Seventeen, 21 May 2022
But Ohio shouldn’t get complaisant.
—Julie Washington, cleveland, 8 Apr. 2021
In each case, the man has an energetic wife who has continued making public appearances while her husband retreats behind a veil of discretion at which a complaisant press seems reluctant to tug.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 3 Mar. 2023
Private institutional investors such as BlackRock and Vanguard tend to be more complaisant about CEO pay — except for European funds.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023
His admirers included such luminaries as U.S. Sen. Robert Wagner, all of whom turned a complaisant eye to the married Crater’s other life as a randy stage-door johnny with a mistress and a harem of chorus girls and Polly Adler hookers.
—Edward Kosner, WSJ, 20 June 2022
Administrations since have learned not to be so complaisant.
—WSJ, 20 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complaisant
Adjective
-
The draft will be held in Green Bay, and the NFL always brings in collegians who figure to be taken high, so Commissioner Roger Goodell can be the gracious host and hug them after they’re picked.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Rose was gracious as ever after his second straight time finishing second in a major, having lost out at Royal Troon last summer.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Her willpower wobbling, the 37-year-old nurse and mother of three pushed her shopping cart forward, giving the friendly salesman a wide berth.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Adopted in 2020, the Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities created a classification system for business and investors to know what activities are considered green or climate friendly.—
Jon McGowan,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Virtual work can be thoughtful, efficient, and sustainable, but only if the foundation is clear.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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The post sparked a thoughtful discussion in the comments, with one user suggesting that neither party was necessarily in the wrong.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Zelensky said President Donald Trump had received on his desk a fresh document proposing a path forward in negotiations more amenable to Ukraine and its European allies.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
25 Apr. 2025
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Every school is different, and some have been more amenable than others in recent months to new kinds of federal oversight.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The treaty did not pretend to name mutually agreeable arbitrators, either.—
Tom Bell,
Oc Register,
12 Apr. 2025
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In this context, research uncovers an interesting trend: agreeable leaders are often perceived as more effective.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Complaisant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complaisant. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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