genial

[jeen-yuhl, jee-nee-uhl] / ˈdʒin yəl, ˈdʒi ni əl /

ADJECTIVE

extremely nice and happy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

affable amiable cheerful cheery chipper congenial convivial easygoing gentle good-natured gracious jolly jovial kindly pleasant sociable sunny upbeat

WEAK

agreeable amicable blithe cheering chirpy cordial enlivening favorable friendly glad hearty high jocund joyous kind merry neighborly perky up warm warm-hearted

Antonyms

STRONGEST

depressed disagreeable gloomy hateful mean nasty rude sad serious surly unfriendly unhappy unkind unsympathetic upset

WEAK

aloof cold cool cranky irritable moody

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.

John Ternus, who will succeed Cook as CEO on Sept. 1, is seen internally as a leader more like his genial predecessor than the sometimes-domineering Jobs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

His innocent smiles and genial facial expressions won over millions of viewers.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

Initially they rekindle a genial intimacy over art, meals and the city’s beauty.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

One of the strengths of Mr. Brandreth’s genial survey of the life and afterlife of Pooh is how much time he spends on other Milne works that have brought him pleasure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

“Thought it would be. Mr. Curtain hates a cheater more than anything. Otherwise he’s a genial fellow. So just keep that in mind during your meeting—the most important thing is not to admit you cheated.”

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart

Vocabulary lists containing genial

Fast Food Nation

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Grade 10, List 6

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"The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton

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