Definitions

cordial

[kawr-juhl, -dee-uhl] / ˈkɔr dʒəl, -di əl /

ADJECTIVE

friendly, sociable

Synonyms

STRONGEST

affectionate amicable cheerful congenial cozy earnest gracious heartfelt hearty jovial neighborly polite sincere sympathetic warm warmhearted welcoming

STRONG

glowing heart-to-heart social tender

WEAK

affable agreeable buddy-buddy clubby companionable convivial genial happy invigorating mellow palsy-walsy red-carpet responsive wholehearted

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cold cool disagreeable insincere rude sad uncaring unconcerned unenthusiastic unfeeling unfriendly unhappy unkind unsociable unsympathetic

WEAK

aloof hostile indifferent inhospitable uncordial unpleasant

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.

Japan and India both historically have maintained cordial relations with Iran, although they grudgingly complied with US sanctions aimed at stopping all other countries from buying Iranian oil.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

And while they try to maintain a cordial working relationship, they don’t claim to be good friends.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

Monsanto—about a 186-mile drive northeast of Lisbon—is Portugal at its most primal and pagan, yet with postcards and cordial citizenry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The cordial conversation Monday lasted about eight minutes, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told journalists Wednesday during her regular morning news conference.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

As much as I don’t want to tell him anything, I have to keep this cordial.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

Vocabulary lists containing cordial

Grade 9, List 2

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

More Positive Words to Describe a Person

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Body Language: Cor, Cord, Cardio ("Heart")

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!