politeness
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.
“Freed from narrative, sound and movement, his photographs indulge our desire to look longer and more intently than politeness would normally permit.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
She didn't usually drink coffee but when the interviewer, a senior civil servant called Christian Nègre, offered her one, she agreed out of politeness.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
There is a kind of professional politeness that demands we discuss each case in isolation so no one has to say aloud what the cumulative pattern reveals.
From Slate ● May 8, 2026
Out of politeness, you extend this assumption even if you’ve seen the teller sprint for the sofa at family gatherings when the time comes to clear the table or grab a broom.
From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2026
On Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner’s coming up they were all pressed to go into the house and take some refreshment; but this was declined, and they parted on each side with utmost politeness.
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
