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graceful

American  
[greys-fuhl] / ˈgreɪs fəl /

adjective

  1. characterized by elegance or beauty of form, manner, movement, or speech; elegant: a graceful reply.

    a graceful dancer;

    a graceful reply.
    Synonyms:
    lissome, lithe, limber
graceful British  
/ ˈɡreɪsfʊl /

adjective

  1. characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, etc

"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 Word Forms

  • gracefully adverb
  • gracefulness noun
  • nongraceful adjective
  • nongracefulness noun

Etymology

Origin of graceful

A late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; grace, -ful

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.

Khmer classical dance, performed to traditional music, is renowned for its graceful hand gestures and stunning costumes, and has a 1,000-year history.

From Barron's

The impeccable, graceful waves of Joseph’s hair and beard conform to the aesthetic of Parisian court art.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ferrero was equally graceful, but signaled the break wasn’t his choice: “I wish I could have continued.”

From The Wall Street Journal

So he walked in and immediately I was really moved by how graceful he was.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a fast, dangerous and macho sport that also requires graceful skating.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.