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grace

[ greys ]

/ greɪs /

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See synonyms for grace on Thesaurus.com

noun

elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action: We watched her skate with effortless grace across the ice.

a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment: He lacked the manly graces.

favor or goodwill.

a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior: It was only through the dean's grace that I wasn't expelled from school.

mercy; clemency; pardon: He was saved by an act of grace from the governor.

favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.

an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against them or a penalty applied: The life insurance premium is due today, but we have 31 days' grace before the policy lapses.Compare grace period.

Theology.

the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.
the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.
a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.
Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or one of the elect.

moral strength: the grace to perform a duty.

a short prayer before or after a meal, in which a blessing is asked and thanks are given: Grandfather will now say grace.

Usually Grace . a formal title used in addressing or mentioning a duke, duchess, or archbishop, and formerly also a sovereign (usually preceded by your, his, etc.).

Graces, Classical Mythology. the goddesses of beauty, daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, worshiped in Greece as the Charities and in Rome as the Gratiae.

Music. grace note.

verb (used with object), graced, grac·ing.

to lend or add grace to; adorn: Many fine paintings graced the rooms of the house.

to favor or honor: to grace an occasion with one's presence.

OTHER WORDS FOR grace

1 attractiveness, charm, gracefulness, comeliness, lissomeness; refinement, class.

3 kindness, kindliness, love, benignity; benevolence.

4 forgiveness, charity, mercifulness.

5 lenity, leniency, reprieve.

14 embellish, beautify, deck, decorate, ornament; enhance.

15 glorify, elevate, exalt.

See synonyms for grace on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR grace

1 stiffness, ugliness, awkwardness, clumsiness; klutziness.

4 animosity, enmity, disfavor.

5 harshness.

14 disfigure, desecrate, demean.

15 disrespect, dishonor.

See antonyms for grace on Thesaurus.com

VIDEO FOR GRACE

What Is The Origin Of The Word "Grace"?

Did you know that "grace," "gracias," and "grazie" all descend from the same Latin word, "grātia"? Let us explain!

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QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about grace

but for the grace of God, under less fortunate circumstances: But for the grace of God, the brick that just fell from the roof would have hit me on the head!

by the grace of God, thankfully; fortunately: By the grace of God, I won't have to deal with tax returns for another year.

fall from grace,

Theology. to relapse into sin or disfavor.
to lose favor; be discredited: He fell from grace when the boss found out he had lied.

have the grace to, to be so kind as to: Would you have the grace to help, please?

in someone's good / bad graces, regarded with favor (or disfavor) by someone: It is a wonder that I have managed to stay in her good graces this long.

with bad grace, reluctantly; grudgingly: He apologized, but did so with bad grace.Also with a bad grace.

with good grace, willingly; ungrudgingly: She took on the extra work with good grace.

Origin of grace

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin grātia “favor, kindness, esteem,” derivative of grātus “pleasing”

historical usage of grace

¡Gracias! Grazie! When a Spanish or Italian speaker says thanks, they are invoking one of the meanings behind the word grace. That’s because grace, gracias, and grazie all descend from the same Latin word, grātia.
For the ancient Romans, grātia had three distinct meanings: (1) a pleasing quality, (2) favor or goodwill, and (3) gratitude or thanks. We find all three of these meanings in modern-day English. The first when we describe someone as having (or not having) grace: Dancing, she had all the grace of an elephant on skates. The second when we talk about giving or getting grace: by the grace of God. And the third when we say grace (i.e., “thanks”) at a meal.
So if you have something to be grateful for, you can say thank you, grātia, gracias, or grazie. Just make sure you don’t give that something a coup de grâce.

popular references for grace

— Amazing Grace: A hymn written by English clergyman John Newton, who participated in the slave trade before finding religion.
— Grace: Jeff Buckley’s sole studio album, released in 1994, just three years before his early death.

OTHER WORDS FROM grace

gracelike, adjectiveun·graced, adjective

Words nearby grace

grabby, graben, grab rope, Gracchi, Gracchus, grace, grace-and-favor, grace-and-favour, grace cup, graceful, gracefully

Other definitions for grace (2 of 2)

Grace

[ greys ]

/ greɪs /

noun

William Russell, 1832–1904, U.S. financier and shipping magnate, born in Ireland: mayor of New York City 1880–88.

a female given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use grace in a sentence

For all the power, grace and technical skill demanded of elite gymnastics, the true measure of greatness is determined by fractions of a point awarded by a panel of judges.
For competition-starved U.S. gymnasts, Winter Cup will measure Olympic readiness|Liz Clarke|February 26, 2021|Washington Post
In the opening of “Smoke,” Isaiah has put his little house in East Long Beach on the market, bid a painful farewell to the love of his life, an artist named Grace, and hit the road.
Joe Ide’s IQ series continues with the idiosyncratic marvel ‘Smoke’|Maureen Corrigan|February 26, 2021|Washington Post
In the last chat, Grace said, “Porto isn’t very good this year.”
This Champions League Round Has Not Been Kind To Barcelona|Chadwick Matlin (chadwick.matlin@fivethirtyeight.com)|February 25, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
Hutchings nonetheless took a moment to ask for grace from frustrated parents, teachers and students.
Arlington, Alexandria move forward with school reopening plans|Hannah Natanson|February 19, 2021|Washington Post

He spread his grace on everything and every one he came in contact with.
Hank Aaron left an indelible mark on MLB players: 'He was not going to let anything distract him’|Matt Bonesteel|January 22, 2021|Washington Post
But there is a big twist in this story that has left both Grace Castro and Lozoya frustrated and grasping for more answers.
An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro|Bill Conroy|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
That is a reality that still eats at Grace Castro and Yvonne Lozoya.
An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro|Bill Conroy|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Twin girls, Greta and Grace, run around the floor in circles, wearing pink playsuits with tiny pink wings attached.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda|Ruth Michaelson|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They made quiet plans together, saying that when they had a child together, they wanted a girl called Grace.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda|Ruth Michaelson|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Light trumps darkness, hope beats despair, grace wins over sin, love defeats hate, life conquers death,” the cardinal said.
'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many of them were delicious in the role; one of them was the embodiment of every womanly grace and charm.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
They ranged from moving trunks to cleaning cisterns, and, by grace of all of them, Sim was doing very well.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
She was growing a little stout, but it did not seem to detract an iota from the grace of every step, pose, gesture.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
May looked along at the dimpled grace, And then at the saint-like, fair old face, “How funny!”
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
See the ease and grace of the lady in the sacque, who sits on the bank there, under the myrtles, with the guitar on her lap!
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

British Dictionary definitions for grace (1 of 3)

grace

/ (ɡreɪs) /

noun

elegance and beauty of movement, form, expression, or proportion

a pleasing or charming quality

goodwill or favour

the granting of a favour or the manifestation of goodwill, esp by a superior

a sense of propriety and consideration for others

(plural)

affectation of manner (esp in the phrase airs and graces)
in someone's good graces regarded favourably and with kindness by someone

mercy; clemency

Christianity

the free and unmerited favour of God shown towards man
the divine assistance and power given to man in spiritual rebirth and sanctification
the condition of being favoured or sanctified by God
an unmerited gift, favour, etc, granted by God

a short prayer recited before or after a meal to invoke a blessing upon the food or give thanks for it

music a melodic ornament or decoration

See days of grace

with bad grace or with a bad grace unwillingly or grudgingly

with good grace or with a good grace willingly or cheerfully

verb

(tr) to add elegance and beauty toflowers graced the room

(tr) to honour or favourto grace a party with one's presence

to ornament or decorate (a melody, part, etc) with nonessential notes

Word Origin for grace

C12: from Old French, from Latin grātia, from grātus pleasing

British Dictionary definitions for grace (2 of 3)

Grace¹

/ (ɡreɪs) /

noun

(preceded by your, his, or her) a title used to address or refer to a duke, duchess, or archbishop

British Dictionary definitions for grace (3 of 3)

Grace²

/ (ɡreɪs) /

noun

W (illiam) G (ilbert). 1848–1915, English cricketer

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with grace

grace

see fall from grace; in someone's bad graces; in someone's good graces; saving grace; say grace; there but for the grace of god; with good grace.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.