1
as in nonchalant
having or showing freedom from worries or troubles
his debonair dismissal of my inquiry concerning his financial situation led me to believe that nothing was wrong
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sophisticated
having or showing very polished and worldly manners
the debonair gentleman charmed all of the ladies in the room
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Recent Examples of debonair
New this year, the convertible version of the supercar wasn’t as prominent as coupes in the longstanding film series in which Sean Connery portrayed the debonair protagonist spy.
—
James Raia, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Sailing aboard The Hispaniola, Jim and Bess are caught between the charming, terrifying pirate Long John Silver, and the debonair, duplicitous British agent Aaron Graham.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 3 Mar. 2026
Based in New York City and Chicago, Richter seamlessly honors the building’s long-standing history with debonair interiors that feel like a nod to old (and new) New York and are also inspired by the elegance of Paris.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 8 Dec. 2025
Chinese movie star Hu Ge gives a debonair lead performance as Ah Bao, a mysterious power player who owes his rapid rise to the tutelage of an elderly ex-con, Uncle Ye (You Benchang).
—Judy Berman, Time, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debonair
James Raia, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Sailing aboard The Hispaniola, Jim and Bess are caught between the charming, terrifying pirate Long John Silver, and the debonair, duplicitous British agent Aaron Graham.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 3 Mar. 2026
Based in New York City and Chicago, Richter seamlessly honors the building’s long-standing history with debonair interiors that feel like a nod to old (and new) New York and are also inspired by the elegance of Paris.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 8 Dec. 2025
Chinese movie star Hu Ge gives a debonair lead performance as Ah Bao, a mysterious power player who owes his rapid rise to the tutelage of an elderly ex-con, Uncle Ye (You Benchang).
—Judy Berman, Time, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debonair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debonair
Adjective
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Jurk was rather nonchalant following the punch as Castillo lay on the floor, prompting an announcer to say the medics should be in the ring.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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Her nonchalant reaction and control of her emotions went viral, gathering 26 million views on YouTube.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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Save big and add a sophisticated touch to your home’s exteriors with up to 30% off select furniture during their Memorial Day sales promo.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
22 May 2026
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Ahead, find 11 short pastel nail designs for spring that toe the line between sophisticated and sweet.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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Forced to walk around, and even sleep, in a steel straightjacket with his neck permanently raised high, the once carefree Christophe begins to shut down to both his classmates and family.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
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Still, the set’s relaxed silhouette and breezy fabric keep the look carefree, effortless, and super comfortable while traveling.—
Irene Richardson,
InStyle,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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Be sure to drop into the sultry Pine Bar—all low lighting and dark corners—which specializes in wonderfully creative cocktails, delivered in whimsical locked boxes by suave waiters in red-velvet smoking jackets.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 May 2026
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Sombreness has seldom looked more suave or felt more disciplined; the storytelling is astounding in its concision, sometimes to a fault, as the characters’ rich personal histories are elided.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Midi lengths refuse to commit to long or short camps, settling in the middle for a moment that's polished and truly insouciant.—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
1 Apr. 2026
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There is nothing insouciant about me.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The graceful curve of a corner kick.—
Miceal Chamberlain,
Boston Herald,
19 May 2026
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They can be filled with a cool, soothing, graceful fern or bright blooms that celebrate the heat of summer.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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The fact that anyone at the top is shocked by snaking security lines at airports is of a piece with the administration’s rather cavalier approach to contingency planning.—
Juliette Kayyem,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
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Each crossbreed comes from a poodle bred with a cavalier King Charles spaniel, cocker spaniel, or Labrador retriever.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But the specific French dispensation—the idea that a man’s erotic life exists outside the moral world of his other obligations, that the wife and the mistress are a civilized arrangement, that desire is sovereign—this mythology did not make the crossing with me, or did not survive it intact.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
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The 2026 draft footprint stretched across Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium (still Heinz Field in the hearts of civilized people) and by the end of the weekend, the city had hosted one of the biggest football parties in human history.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debonair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debonair. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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