affable
Americanadjective
-
pleasantly easy to approach and to talk to; friendly; cordial; warmly polite.
an affable and courteous gentleman.
- Synonyms:
- sociable, gracious, genial, approachable, amiable, accessible
- Antonyms:
- standoffish, distant, inaccessible, unapproachable, unsociable, unfriendly
-
showing warmth and friendliness; benign; pleasant.
an affable smile.
adjective
-
showing warmth and friendliness; kindly; mild; benign
-
easy to converse with; approachable; amicable
Related Words
See civil.
Other Word Forms
- affability noun
- affableness noun
- affably adverb
- unaffable adjective
- unaffably adverb
Etymology
Origin of affable
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin affābilis “that can be spoken to, courteous,” equivalent to af- af- + fā- “speak” ( fate ) + -bilis -ble, perhaps via Middle French
Explanation
Affable means friendly, pleasant, and easy to talk to. An affable host offers you something to drink and makes you feel at home. The adjective affable entered English by way of the Latin word affābilis, which means "kind, friendly." If you’re stuck on an airplane next to someone affable, the trip won’t be so bad because that person will be easy to chat with but won’t talk your ear off. Synonyms of affable also refer to a pleasant and mild friendliness, such as genial, hospitable, and gracious. Affable people generally seem like they’re in a good mood and are happy to see you.
Vocabulary lists containing affable
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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.
An affable, hyper-knowledgeable proprietor in his early 30s, Richardson repairs and resells analog music technology from the 1980s or earlier.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026
According to the affable 38-year-old, ultra-violent or supernatural stories -- from Netflix's "Stranger Things" to gaming favourite "Resident Evil" -- work as a sort of pressure valve.
From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026
O'Neill, 73, said he had only had a "10 or 15-minute conversation" with the "affable" Nancy as the changeover took place earlier this month.
From BBC • Dec. 15, 2025
When an affable and ambitious broker from Bear Stearns moved in down the hall, he found a partner to help launch the first chapter of a legendary career.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025
He still looked affable and relaxed, though not quite as loopy as before.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
