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Synonyms

gracious

American  
[grey-shuhs] / ˈgreɪ ʃəs /

adjective

  1. pleasantly kind, benevolent, and courteous.

    Synonyms:
    polite, pleasant, kindly, friendly, courteous, benign, benevolent
    Antonyms:
    churlish

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

    gracious suburban living;

    a gracious home.

  3. indulgent or beneficent in a pleasantly condescending way, especially to inferiors.

  4. merciful or compassionate.

    our gracious king.
    Synonyms:
    gentle, mild, merciful, clement, tender, compassionate
    Antonyms:
    cruel

  5. Obsolete. fortunate or happy.

interjection

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

gracious British  
/ ˈɡreɪʃəs /

adjective

  1. characterized by or showing kindness and courtesy

  2. condescendingly courteous, benevolent, or indulgent

  3. characterized by or suitable for a life of elegance, ease, and indulgence

    gracious living

    gracious furnishings

  4. merciful or compassionate

  5. 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

  1. 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  

  1. 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.

And though the primary was frequently ugly, Crockett was gracious enough to quickly concede and endorse Talarico.

From Slate • Mar. 7, 2026

“The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

"The family has been nothing but co-operative and gracious and are victims in this case," said the Pima County Sheriff's Office, which has been leading the investigation.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

Watts’ take on Jackie O doesn’t hit such heights, but the actor does, in some scenes, achieve a gracious splendor that does justice to her subject’s memory.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026

It was times like these that he appreciated how gracious she could be.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

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.