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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Just be polite and point out the issue at checkout.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 July 2025
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From a software engineering perspective, being polite is a waste of resources.—
Adrian Bridgwater,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Recently sober, Felix has his own complement of bandmates, friends and friendly ex-girlfriends, including three women named Polly — Adèle Exarchopoulos plays the important one — whose history with Felix makes Jess nervous.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
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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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
Adjective
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Firing off hundreds of identical applications and CVs is unlikely to land you that dream role, so every application needs a thoughtful approach.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
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Before this drastic step, there should have been research on what the realities are on car ownership rates throughout the city and surveys — an inventory — of available street parking in each community, followed by thoughtful planning, followed by thorough community feedback.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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Isla Baker, 14, of Downers Grove, plays Mrs. Dashwood, the kindly mother of the girls, and two other characters.—
Hank Beckman,
Chicago Tribune,
15 July 2025
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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
Adjective
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Savor local dining and brews Cadillac boasts restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream stores and bakeries selling a variety of cuisines, beverages, alcoholic spirits and sweet treats.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
19 July 2025
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Wesley marked the celebratory moment by sharing a sweet photograph of himself and Kuckenburg on his Instagram Stories.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gracious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gracious. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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