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.)

Origin of gracious

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

Related formsgra·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, adjectivenon·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

Synonyms

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

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

Antonyms

1. churlish. 4. cruel.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for graciously

Contemporary Examples

Bill then graciously shared with us a glimpse into his Muslim identifying genius.
Bill O’Reilly, Muslim-Hunter
Dean Obeidallah
June 5, 2014
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
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
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
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

Historical Examples

She tapped Tom's shoulder with her fan and smiled, graciously corrective.
The Gentleman From Indiana
Booth Tarkington
He receives me graciously enough, and treats me with politeness.
Henry Dunbar
M. E. Braddon
Mark you, it is not wisdom but a whim of mine which causes me to be graciously minded!
Priestess of the Flame
Sewell Peaslee Wright
He was presented by that great officer, and received most graciously.
Vivian Grey
Earl of Beaconsfield, Benjamin Disraeli
"If a bachelor may be said to have a home, Mrs. Barnes," he added, graciously.
Thankful's Inheritance
Joseph C. Lincoln

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

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

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}gracious

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Examples from the Web for graciously

Contemporary Examples

Bill then graciously shared with us a glimpse into his Muslim identifying genius.

He graciously allows that “print journalists and editorial writers should be involved.”

I graciously accepted and swallowed repeated mouthfuls of masgouf for the first, and only, time.

But pride can also prevent you from graciously accepting help and can fill you with resentment instead of appreciation.

He thanked me as graciously as if it was the first time he had heard a fan say that.

Historical Examples

She tapped Tom's shoulder with her fan and smiled, graciously corrective.

He receives me graciously enough, and treats me with politeness.

Mark you, it is not wisdom but a whim of mine which causes me to be graciously minded!

He was presented by that great officer, and received most graciously.

"If a bachelor may be said to have a home, Mrs. Barnes," he added, graciously.

gracious

Word Origin and History for graciously

adv.

gracious

adj.

Idioms and Phrases with graciously

gracious

Origin of gracious