1
as in gracious
having an easygoing and pleasing manner especially in social situations
a genial host who makes a point of speaking personally to each and every guest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in warm
having or showing kindly feeling and sincere interest
genial new neighbors who helped us unpack boxes and brought us dinner our first night in the new place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hospitable
showing a natural kindness and courtesy especially in social situations
his genial offer to give me his seat on the bus
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in temperate
marked by temperatures that are neither too high nor too low
wanted to move to a more genial clime for health reasons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of genial
In a country shackled and scarred by race, religion, gender, and class, the Disciples were genial revolutionists offering inclusion, education, and empowerment for those at the margins.
—
Richard D. Mahoney, JSTOR Daily, 30 Apr. 2025
George Wendt, the actor known for playing the genial, beer-guzzling barfly Norm Peterson on all 11 seasons of the classic sitcom Cheers, died Tuesday at 76.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 20 May 2025
In the aftermath of Radford’s breakthrough, OpenAI’s leadership—especially the genial Altman and his co-founder and chief scientist, the faintly shamanistic Ilya Sutskever—made a series of pivotal decisions.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
The moment came after Obama, Biden and late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel had a friendly conversation onstage where the president fielded genial questions from his predecessor and the comedian that highlighted his political and legislative achievements.
—Anna Commander
sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for genial
Richard D. Mahoney, JSTOR Daily, 30 Apr. 2025
George Wendt, the actor known for playing the genial, beer-guzzling barfly Norm Peterson on all 11 seasons of the classic sitcom Cheers, died Tuesday at 76.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 20 May 2025
In the aftermath of Radford’s breakthrough, OpenAI’s leadership—especially the genial Altman and his co-founder and chief scientist, the faintly shamanistic Ilya Sutskever—made a series of pivotal decisions.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
The moment came after Obama, Biden and late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel had a friendly conversation onstage where the president fielded genial questions from his predecessor and the comedian that highlighted his political and legislative achievements.
—Anna Commander
sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for genial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for genial
Adjective
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The man was gifted, gracious, often generous and seldom mean-spirited.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
10 July 2025
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But goodness gracious, the Rockies are only (14-36) under Schaeffer after going 7-33 under Black.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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Since the 1950s, average temperatures in July have trended roughly 2.7 degrees warmer, according to the weather service.—
Joyce Orlando,
The Tennessean,
29 July 2025
-
Garages can be much warmer than the rest of homes due to poor insulation.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
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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Those individuals experienced up to an 8 percent additional drop in kidney function each year compared with those living in temperate climates.—
Nora Bradford,
Scientific American,
29 July 2025
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The list includes places like Malta, a five-island nation with terrific beaches, a temperate climate and low crime, and Belize, the only Central American country with English as its official language.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
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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The players — including new signing Noni Madueke — will report back to London Colney on Monday ahead of the friendly against Villarreal on August 6.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
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That You?' Tears at What Golden Retriever Does Every Night for 'Long Lost Best Friend' Not all feedback was friendly, though.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The water here is always a steady, crisp 70 to 75 degrees, and has a gentle current that gives the water incredible clarity.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
29 July 2025
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Their flagship 12-year-old is a masterclass in balance: gentle heather smoke, sweet malt, honey, and subtle sherry notes.—
Hudson Lindenberger,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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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
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And, the embroidery on the pillowcases adds a nice touch.—
Shalwah Evans,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Genial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/genial. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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