affable
Americanadjective
-
pleasantly easy to approach and to talk to; friendly; cordial; warmly polite.
an affable and courteous gentleman.
- Synonyms:
- sociable, gracious, genial, approachable, amiable, accessible
- Antonyms:
- standoffish, distant, inaccessible, unapproachable, unsociable, unfriendly
-
showing warmth and friendliness; benign; pleasant.
an affable smile.
adjective
-
showing warmth and friendliness; kindly; mild; benign
-
easy to converse with; approachable; amicable
Synonym Usage
See civil.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of affable
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin affābilis “that can be spoken to, courteous,” equivalent to af- af- + fā- “speak” ( see fate) + -bilis -ble, perhaps via Middle French
Explanation
Affable means friendly, pleasant, and easy to talk to. An affable host offers you something to drink and makes you feel at home. The adjective affable entered English by way of the Latin word affābilis, which means "kind, friendly." If you’re stuck on an airplane next to someone affable, the trip won’t be so bad because that person will be easy to chat with but won’t talk your ear off. Synonyms of affable also refer to a pleasant and mild friendliness, such as genial, hospitable, and gracious. Affable people generally seem like they’re in a good mood and are happy to see you.
Vocabulary lists containing affable
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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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.
The author’s there, the affable Fernando González Viñas, flanked by a matador and his entourage.
From Salon • Jun. 23, 2026
"But he was affable and always willing to listen and go and have uncomfortable conversations."
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
An affable, hyper-knowledgeable proprietor in his early 30s, Richardson repairs and resells analog music technology from the 1980s or earlier.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026
As captured here, its members do seem quite rational, not to mention affable and easygoing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026
A writer for Chicago magazine described Barack as “a tall, affable workaholic,” suggesting that he should someday run for office, an idea that he simply shrugged off.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
