graceful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of graceful
A late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at grace, -ful
Explanation
Use the adjective graceful to describe movements that are lovely and elegant. If you watch a yoga class, you'll see a variety of styles, ranging from awkward to graceful. Were some people born graceful? From their elegant way they move to their great timing and well-chosen words, being graceful does seem to come naturally to some. For others, it comes with practice and being focused. For example, the discipline of ballet makes dancers graceful — even when reaching for something on a high shelf at the grocery store.
Vocabulary lists containing graceful
Power Suffix: -ful
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"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
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A Single Shard
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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.
With its layered red metal skin, graceful pathways, and choreographed framing of space, the building gave generously to the city and received vibrancy and meaning in return.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
Pollock somehow managed to flick a QPR cross high into the air and, in one graceful movement, head the ball over goalkeeper Martyn Margetson and into the net to put City's opponents 2-1 up.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
Tuesday, OpenAI announced it was abandoning its video-production aspirations, giving Disney a graceful exit until the next model storms the castle.
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026
The sculpture became known as one of his landmark pieces, described by one critic as "Moore's finest achievement since the war, and probably the most graceful of all his works."
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026
Queen Elizabeth II was eighty-two years old then, diminutive and graceful with a delicate smile and her white hair curled regally away from her forehead.
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.
