gentility

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.

Baseball’s rules were standardized by middle-class Manhattan professionals who “squeezed all the wildness of the folk game into their polished diamond,” giving it a sheen of gentility.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Already masterwork in balancing gentility with explosive rage, the actor blends the spark of a political mover with the oleaginous menace of a mob boss.

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2025

The story is in no sense a petition for the return of the monarchy but contrasts Old World gentility with the heartlessness of the surveillance state, culture against the assassination of culture.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2024

Described as a study of masculinity, the collection blended strength and gentility with a focus on refinement.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 22, 2023

Growing up, Ikoyi had reeked of gentility, a faraway gentility that she could not touch: the people who lived in Ikoyi had faces free of pimples and drivers designated “the childrens driver.”

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie