gracious

[grey-shuhs]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR gracious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

pleasantly kind, benevolent, and courteous.

characterized by good taste, comfort, ease, or luxury: gracious suburban living; a gracious home.

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

merciful or compassionate: our gracious king.

Obsolete. fortunate or happy.

interjection

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

Nearby words

Origin of gracious

1250–1300; Middle English gracious < Old French < Latin grātiōsus amiable, equivalent to grāti(a) grace + -ōsus -ous

SYNONYMS FOR gracious

1. benign, friendly, favorable, polite. See kind¹. 4. tender, clement, mild, gentle.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR gracious ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR gracious

1. churlish. 4. cruel.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR gracious ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

gra·cious·ly, adverbgra·cious·ness, gra·ci·os·i·ty

[grey-shee-os-i-tee] /ˌgreɪ ʃiˈɒs ɪ ti/, nounnon·gra·ci·os·i·ty, nounnon·gra·cious, adjective

non·gra·cious·ly, adverbnon·gra·cious·ness, nouno·ver·gra·cious, adjectiveo·ver·gra·cious·ly, adverbo·ver·gra·cious·ness, nounqua·si-gra·cious, adjectivequa·si-gra·cious·ly, adverb

Can be confusedgracious gratis gratuitous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for graciously

Bill then graciously shared with us a glimpse into his Muslim identifying genius.
Bill O’Reilly, Muslim-Hunter|Dean Obeidallah|June 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He graciously allows that “print journalists and editorial writers should be involved.”
Memo to GOP: Hands off Those Presidential Debates|Howard Kurtz|April 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I graciously accepted and swallowed repeated mouthfuls of masgouf for the first, and only, time.
Iraq War 10th Anniversary: The Teamster|John Kael Weston|March 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But pride can also prevent you from graciously accepting help and can fill you with resentment instead of appreciation.
Why Favoritism Is Virtuous: The Case Against Fairness|Stephen T. Asma|December 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST

He thanked me as graciously as if it was the first time he had heard a fan say that.
Ken Follett’s Book Bag: Five Greatest Trilogies|Ken Follett|September 18, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The king received them graciously, and promised to grant them whatever largess they should request.
The History of Prostitution|William W. Sanger
"You had better turn back with us, St. John," suggests Constance, graciously.
Red as a Rose is She|Rhoda Broughton
"And it's a pretty rose, so it is," responded Mrs. O'Callaghan, receiving it graciously.
The Widow O'Callaghan's Boys|Gulielma Zollinger
She smiled in return so graciously that she seemed to accept the courteous struggle into which all men like to draw a woman.
The Chouans|Honore de Balzac
The king received his mission most graciously, and Rubens returned to the Netherlands crowned with honors and success.
Great Men and Famous Women, Vol. 8 (of 8)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for graciously

gracious

adjective

characterized by or showing kindness and courtesy

condescendingly courteous, benevolent, or indulgent

characterized by or suitable for a life of elegance, ease, and indulgencegracious living; gracious furnishings

merciful or compassionate

obsolete fortunate, prosperous, or happy

interjection

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

Derived Formsgraciously, adverbgraciousness, noun

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

Word Origin and History for graciously

graciously

adv.

c.1300, "by God's grace," from gracious + -ly (2). Meaning "favorably, with good will" is late 14c.

gracious

adj.

c.1300, "filled with God's grace," from Old French gracios "courteous, pleasing, kind, friendly" (12c., Modern French gracieux), from Latin gratiosus "enjoying favor, agreeable, obliging; popular, acceptable," from gratia (see grace). Meaning "merciful, benevolent" is from late 14c. As an exclamation, elliptically for gracious God, attested from 1713.

Idioms and Phrases with graciously

gracious

see goodness gracious.

gracious

adjective

interjection

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Origin of gracious

Examples from the Web for graciously

gracious

adjective

interjection

graciously

gracious

gracious