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
Related Words
See civil.
Other Word Forms
- affability noun
- affableness noun
- affably adverb
- unaffable adjective
- unaffably adverb
Etymology
Origin of affable
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin affābilis “that can be spoken to, courteous,” equivalent to af- af- + fā- “speak” ( fate ) + -bilis -ble, perhaps via Middle French
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 officer wrote that the famously affable Garrett was “kind and cooperative,” and that drugs and alcohol were not a factor.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026
According to the affable 38-year-old, ultra-violent or supernatural stories -- from Netflix's "Stranger Things" to gaming favourite "Resident Evil" -- work as a sort of pressure valve.
From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026
It wasn’t just her sharp comic timing and knack for uniquely memorable character work that made her stand out, but her undeniably affable presence.
From Salon • Feb. 5, 2026
Yet Gnassingbé makes no secret of cultivating affable and supportive relations with Burkina Faso and the fellow Sahelian military governments in Niger and Mali – all three of whom walked out of Ecowas last January.
From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025
Just once, I’d like her to be even the slightest bit affable.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
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.
