amiable
Americanadjective
-
having or showing pleasant, good-natured personal qualities; affable.
an amiable disposition.
- Synonyms:
- gracious
- Antonyms:
- rude
-
friendly; sociable.
an amiable greeting; an amiable gathering.
- Synonyms:
- amicable
- Antonyms:
- hostile, unfriendly
-
agreeable; willing to accept the wishes, decisions, or suggestions of another or others.
-
Obsolete. lovable or lovely.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of amiable
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin amīcābilis amicable
Explanation
A friendly, pleasant person could be described as amiable. Airline flight attendants tend to be amiable. The people monitoring the school's cafeteria? Maybe not. An amiable person is good-natured and easy to get along with. Add one letter and you get amicable, a word with a common ancestor (Latin amicabilis) and a similar meaning. But while amiable refers to friendly people, amicable refers to friendly relations between them; two amiable people who no longer want to be married to one another might have an amicable divorce.
Vocabulary lists containing amiable
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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All You Need is Love: Amor and Phil
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6
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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.
As amiable as the movie is from the jump, it wastes no time thrusting viewers into a world in complete peril, refusing to sugarcoat the modern realities of a once-robust industry.
From Salon • May 1, 2026
This is a film that serves a purpose, and Jones’ amiable writing and Aramayo’s engaging performance dredge up just enough sentimentality while keeping the movie from seeming overly instructive.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026
The previous head of the partnership, Kathy Wylde, held the position for 25 years and was an amiable voice for the city’s business community.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
The “Traitors” host proved himself to be an amiable, good-natured BAFTAs anchor, changing his flamboyant, sequined suits several times, once to an ornate white ensemble in honor of the costume category.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026
“The coolness of you two rascals is amazing,” began Mr. Pickwick, trying to get up an awful frown and only succeeding in producing an amiable smile.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
