gentility

[jen-til-i-tee] / dʒɛnˈtɪl ɪ ti /

NOUN

sophistication, cultivation

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aristocracy civility decorum elegance politeness propriety respectability

STRONG

courtesy courtliness culture elite etiquette flower formality gentlefolk gentry nobility polish quality rank refinement society urbanity

WEAK

blue blood gentle birth good breeding good family good manners high birth mannerliness optimacy ruling class upper class upper crust

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bad manners impoliteness rudeness

WEAK

coarseness crudeness roughness rusticity

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.

I had thought that Fairhope, which some call “Mayberry by the Bay,” was a place where real Southern gentility had survived.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

As Hemingway exclaimed in the voice of Jake Barnes, “It’s funny what a wonderful gentility you get in the bar of a big hotel.”

From Salon • Nov. 8, 2025

Du Maurier’s world is one of pinched gentility.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

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

From Seattle Times • Jun. 22, 2023

I feel oppressed, too, by the mandatory gentility of Wal-Mart culture.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Vocabulary lists containing gentility

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Tuck Everlasting

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