Definitions

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

Du Maurier’s world is one of pinched gentility.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

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

Yet, thanks to Cloud, who brought gentleness and gentility to the role, the character could never be easily written off, or out, as a gangland plot device.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 1, 2023

“You have not seen the beauty, intelligence, and gentility of the elfin nobility.”

From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin

Vocabulary lists containing gentility

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100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"

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Tuck Everlasting

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