gentle
Americanadjective
-
kindly; amiable.
a gentle manner.
-
not severe, rough, or violent; mild.
a gentle wind;
a gentle tap on the shoulder.
-
moderate.
gentle heat.
- Synonyms:
- temperate
-
gradual.
a gentle slope.
-
of good birth or family; wellborn.
- Synonyms:
- noble
-
characteristic of good birth; honorable; respectable.
a gentle upbringing.
-
easily handled or managed; tractable.
a gentle animal.
- Synonyms:
- tame, docile, manageable
-
soft or low.
a gentle sound.
-
polite; refined.
Consider, gentle reader, my terrible predicament at this juncture.
-
entitled to a coat of arms; armigerous.
-
Archaic. noble; chivalrous.
a gentle knight.
verb (used with object)
-
gentles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
gentled,
past participle, past
-
gentling
present participle
-
to tame; render tractable.
-
to mollify; calm; pacify.
-
to make gentle.
-
to stroke; soothe by petting.
-
to ennoble; dignify.
adjective
-
having a mild or kindly nature or character
-
soft or temperate; mild; moderate
a gentle scolding
-
gradual
a gentle slope
-
easily controlled; tame
a gentle horse
-
archaic of good breeding; noble
gentle blood
-
archaic gallant; chivalrous
verb
-
to tame or subdue (a horse)
-
to appease or mollify
-
obsolete to ennoble or dignify
noun
-
a maggot, esp when used as bait in fishing
-
archaic a person who is of good breeding
Synonym Usage
Gentle, meek, mild refer to an absence of bad temper or belligerence. Gentle has reference especially to disposition and behavior, and often suggests a deliberate or voluntary kindness or forbearance in dealing with others: a gentle pat; gentle with children. Meek implies a submissive spirit, and may even indicate undue submission in the face of insult or injustice: meek and even servile or weak. Mild suggests absence of harshness or severity, rather because of natural character or temperament than conscious choice: a mild rebuke; a mild manner.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
gentlesimple
-
gentlessimple
-
have gentledperfect
-
has gentledperfect
-
am gentlingprogressive
-
are gentlingprogressive
-
is gentlingprogressive
-
have been gentlingperfect progressive
-
has been gentlingperfect progressive
Past
-
gentledsimple
-
had gentledperfect
-
was gentlingprogressive
-
were gentlingprogressive
-
had been gentlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of gentle
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English gentle, gentil(e), from Old French gentil “highborn, noble,” from Latin gentīlis “belonging to the same family,” equivalent to gent- (stem of gēns ) gens + -īlis -le
Explanation
Use the adjective gentle to describe something that is soothing or kind, like a person with a tender nature or the soft sound of light rain. The word gentle traces back to the Latin word gentlis, meaning “of the same clan,” and at first the world was used to describe people belonging to distinguished families, who were seen as courteous and noble. Nowadays you’re more likely to hear the word used to refer to things that are calm, moderate, and without harshness. The word is often applied to people, but it can be used more broadly to describe anything that is mild, such as "a gentle detergent" or "a gentle reminder."
Vocabulary lists containing gentle
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act IV
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Positive Words to Describe People, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Everett added that he wants to teach him that strength and being gentle “are not opposites.”
From Salon ● Oct. 18, 2026
Although other specialized microscopes can achieve finer resolution, the combination of detailed imaging, gentle illumination, and extended observation makes iISM particularly valuable for studying living biological systems.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
He was gentle and kind to women and children.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
"The idea that I would then go out and exercise or move, even a gentle walk to the shops, was just not on the cards," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
As the brutal war persisted, Charles Livermore continued to see and feel Estelle’s gentle spirit in his séances with Kate Fox.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
For example, perhaps increased closeness to parents facilitated by smartphones or gentler parenting styles leads young adults in their 20s and early 30s to be more comfortable living with their folks.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
But she acknowledges that her distinct approach — kinder, gentler, more tearful — is rooted in her particular skill set: “It’s similar to how I responded to being led in kitchens,” she says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
"I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people's bodies, no matter what."
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Scientists have been exploring enzymatic DNA synthesis as a gentler alternative because it uses water and more closely resembles the way living cells naturally build DNA.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
Sometimes I still forget to look for the gentler parts of her.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
His “Peaky Blinders” co-star Cillian Murphy remembered Neill as “one of the kindest, funniest and gentlest people, and one of the finest actors,” while Nicole Kidman celebrated Neill as “one of the greats.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
"He was the gentlest soul who was the first to be there for all of his friends and family."
From BBC ● May 12, 2026
“You have the gentlest voice,” Sonia tells him.
From New York Times ● Dec. 4, 2023
“Mal was the nicest, gentlest person,” George Harrison lamented.
From Salon ● Nov. 9, 2023
Ira was gentlest with him, and tirelessly patient, nursing him in her skinny arms and giving him most of what came to her.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
Coconut milk gentles the green-chile heat in the thick, creamy sauce.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 10, 2017
Mallory Ortberg: That’s all for this week, gentles.
From Slate ● Nov. 29, 2016
Saturday's conditions at Whistling Straits led to outstanding scores, as gentles breezes off Lake Michigan, combined with greens that Phil Mickelson described as "pristine, beautiful, large and receptive," produced a festival of birdies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2015
And he gentles the excitable Tushingham into a performance of wonderful precision and variety.
From Time Magazine Archive
Where there are gentles there are aye aff-fa'in's.
From The Proverbs of Scotland by Alexander Hislop
It seems somehow like he’s gentled us into it with benevolent trickery — as if he’d said, “Look! Over there,” and while we were distracted ripped a Band-Aid off our skin.
From New York Times ● Sep. 20, 2022
On the phone from Britain, Wainwright speaks in quick, declarative sentences, gentled a bit by her Yorkshire accent with its long A’s, round O’s and forgiving consonants, but still quite direct.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2019
The subjects of her essays have gentled somewhat, without any loss of acuity or elegance: the joys of being a grandmother, discovering the ukulele, the burly screen presence of Russell Crowe.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 30, 2017
After nearly 20 years as a gallery destination, and despite a spate of sleek new apartment buildings, it is still nothing but art, and it still feels surprisingly raw — gentrified but not especially gentled.
From New York Times ● Apr. 21, 2011
“No. I have handled him and gentled him. Also, he’s not feeling very fierce just now because of the long journey he’s had, and the operation. Do you like him?”
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
The material doesn’t want sophisticated adults mucking about in it or, worse, gentling its hard edges for commercial consumption.
From New York Times ● Apr. 11, 2024
Like a grade-school teacher, the matrix provides a physical framework that supports and organizes the cells, gentling and channeling them to harmoniously create a functional tissue.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 1, 2024
These handling and gentling exercises will essentially be like playing doctor with your puppy.
From Fox News ● Mar. 23, 2022
This gentling spares many vulnerable kids years of suffering.
From Slate ● Apr. 8, 2013
Gradually we drifted off, the whispers of breeze-blown branches and the breathing of horses gentling us to sleep.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
