Synonyms

gracious

American

[grey-shuhs] / ˈgreɪ ʃəs /

adjective

pleasantly kind, benevolent, and courteous.

Synonyms:

polite, pleasant, kindly, friendly, courteous, benign, benevolent

Antonyms:

churlish
characterized by good taste, comfort, ease, or luxury: a gracious home.

gracious suburban living;
a gracious home.
indulgent or beneficent in a pleasantly condescending way, especially to inferiors.
merciful or compassionate.

our gracious king.

Synonyms:

gentle, mild, merciful, clement, tender, compassionate

Antonyms:

cruel
Obsolete. fortunate or happy.

interjection

Also good gracious (used as an exclamation of surprise, relief, dismay, etc.)

gracious British

/ ˈɡreɪʃəs /

adjective

characterized by or showing kindness and courtesy
condescendingly courteous, benevolent, or indulgent
characterized by or suitable for a life of elegance, ease, and indulgence

gracious living
gracious furnishings
merciful or compassionate
obsolete fortunate, prosperous, or happy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

interjection

an expression of mild surprise or wonder (often in exclamatory phrases such as good gracious!, gracious me! )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

gracious Idioms

see goodness gracious.

Related Words

See kind ¹.

Other Word Forms

graciosity noun
graciously adverb
graciousness noun
nongraciosity noun
nongracious adjective
overgracious adjective
quasi-gracious adjective

Etymology

Origin of gracious

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gracious, from Old French, from Latin grātiōsus “amiable,” equivalent to grāti(a) “favor, kindness, esteem” + -ōsus adjective suffix; grace, -ous

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.

Otherwise, an 18-20% tip is still considered standard for gracious and attentive service.

From The Wall Street Journal

Several of those interviewed recall a "cheeky" sense of humour and a man who was always gracious in defeat.

From BBC

"It was so vibrant and so alive. A reverent and gracious… and wonderful, wonderful energy," he said.

From BBC

“I thanked him via email several years ago and he was gracious and kind. I will miss him.”

From Los Angeles Times

Sourdough is nearly always a perfect choice, sturdy but gracious.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023