graceful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of graceful
A late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at grace, -ful
Explanation
Use the adjective graceful to describe movements that are lovely and elegant. If you watch a yoga class, you'll see a variety of styles, ranging from awkward to graceful. Were some people born graceful? From their elegant way they move to their great timing and well-chosen words, being graceful does seem to come naturally to some. For others, it comes with practice and being focused. For example, the discipline of ballet makes dancers graceful — even when reaching for something on a high shelf at the grocery store.
Vocabulary lists containing graceful
Power Suffix: -ful
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"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
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A Single Shard
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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.
Eva Marie Saint, a graceful actor best known for her Oscar-winning film debut in “On the Waterfront” and for her turn as a sultry spy in another 1950s film classic, “North by Northwest,” died Tuesday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
He then set about connecting the two dwellings “by way of a graceful glass corridor.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
The new recording begins with Ms. Davis’s “The Subtext,” a graceful tune that builds in force.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
“Blow Out” tees up an astonishing setup and payoff, yet does so with a graceful simplicity that makes returning to the film edifying no matter how many times you’ve seen it.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
“I looked it up and I like it. It’s way better than graceful, no offense.”
From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
