genteel

[jen-teel] / dʒɛnˈtil /

ADJECTIVE

sophisticated, cultured

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aristocratic elegant noble ostentatious polite refined stylish

WEAK

affected artificial chivalrous civil confined courteous courtly cultivated distingué fashionable formal graceful hollow intolerant la-di-da mannerly polished pompous precious pretentious priggish prim prissy prudish respectable strait-laced stuffy urbane well-behaved well-bred well-mannered

Antonyms

STRONGEST

uncivilized unfashionable unrefined unsophisticated

WEAK

boorish callous rough rude rugged uncultured

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.

This is simply Sheridan’s pitch for escaping New York, but in a genteel manner.

From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026

Teacher and performer, he revealed the works of Nature to a genteel audience amid the sensory manipulations of the theater.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

The winner Talarico, who has a Master of Divinity degree from a Christian seminary, offered a more genteel approach.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

The spat led to fears that curling was losing its once genteel image and the Canadians faced criticism in their own national media.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

There’s too much ornate woodwork here, and the precious layerings of molding and mullion and balustrade and apse, all those thousands of genteel decisions, the studied cuts, just unsettle me.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Vocabulary lists containing genteel

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