gracious

[ grey-shuhs ]

adjective

1. pleasantly kind, benevolent, and courteous.

   Synonyms: polite, pleasant, kindly, friendly, courteous, benign, benevolent

   Antonyms: churlish

2. characterized by good taste, comfort, ease, or luxury: a gracious home.

   gracious suburban living;

   a gracious home.

3. indulgent or beneficent in a pleasantly condescending way, especially to inferiors.
4. merciful or compassionate:

   our gracious king.

   Synonyms: gentle, mild, merciful, clement, tender, compassionate

   Antonyms: cruel

5. Obsolete. fortunate or happy.

interjection

1. Also good gracious. (used as an exclamation of surprise, relief, dismay, etc.)

gracious

/ ˈɡreɪʃəs /

adjective

1. characterized by or showing kindness and courtesy
2. condescendingly courteous, benevolent, or indulgent
3. characterized by or suitable for a life of elegance, ease, and indulgence

   gracious furnishings

   gracious living

4. merciful or compassionate
5. obsolete.
   fortunate, prosperous, or happy

interjection

1. an expression of mild surprise or wonder (often in exclamatory phrases such as good gracious!, gracious me! )

Derived Forms

• ˈgraciousness, noun
• ˈgraciously, adverb

Other Words From

• gra·cious·ly adverb
• gra·ci·os·i·ty [grey-shee-, os, -i-tee], noun
• gra·cious·ness noun
• non·gra·ci·os·i·ty noun
• non·gra·cious adjective
• o·ver·gra·cious adjective
• qua·si-gra·cious adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gracious¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gracious, from Old French, from Latin grātiōsus “amiable,” equivalent to grāti(a) “favor, kindness, esteem” + -ōsus adjective suffix; grace, -ous

Idioms and Phrases

see goodness gracious .

Synonym Study

See kind ¹.

Example Sentences

When my family came down with the coronavirus in November, I immediately sought advice from Ben, who had probably just come off a grueling shift at the hospital but was still incredibly gracious.

From Outside Online

If you attend, it would be gracious to send a modest present.

From Washington Post

If the service seems unusually smooth and gracious, it’s because a number of employees hail from the Fabio Trabocchi school of hospitality.

From Washington Post

It was neither friendly nor gracious to be absolutely confident in your own diagnosis.

From Washington Post

In a video responding to Hart’s decision, Miller-Meeks announced that she received “a very gracious call” from her former Democratic opponent officially conceding the race.

From Washington Post

But he was always uncommonly gracious, a truly gentle man, willing to dispense wisdom and perspective when asked.

From The Daily Beast

At his Tucson hacienda he is a gracious host and a good neighbor.

From The Daily Beast

It was a gracious touch, a rhetorical olive branch to his vanquished foes.

From The Daily Beast

Obama managed the extraordinary feat of making McConnell look gracious by comparison.

From The Daily Beast

Steven was gracious enough to do it, and his thoughts were fantastic.

From The Daily Beast

"I am sure there is no one I shall like half so well," said Isabel, truthfully; and Flora loved her for not being gracious.

From Project Gutenberg

The gracious message then was, that in such a case he should be represented to the Pope, and possibly might be pardoned.

From Project Gutenberg

What gives to a religious assembly all its solemnity, is the gracious presence of God.

From Project Gutenberg

She was gracious to him for once, and gave him good morning in a manner that bordered upon the pleasant.

From Project Gutenberg

But although Turner has exaggerated the ruggedness of Hindhead in his picture, the place is not at all gracious or suave.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accommodating
• affable
• amiable
• approachable
• compassionate
• congenial
• considerate
• cordial
• courteous
• courtly
• friendly
• genial
• good-natured
• hospitable
• loving
• polite
• sociable
• well-mannered