suaver; suavest
1
: smoothly though often superficially gracious and sophisticated
2
: smooth in texture, performance, or style
suavely adverb
suaveness noun
suavity noun
Choose the Right Synonym for suave

suave, urbane, diplomatic, bland, smooth, politic mean pleasantly tactful and well-mannered.

suave suggests a specific ability to deal with others easily and without friction.

a suave public relations coordinator

urbane implies high cultivation and poise coming from wide social experience.

an urbane traveler

diplomatic stresses an ability to deal with ticklish situations tactfully.

a diplomatic negotiator

bland emphasizes mildness of manner and absence of irritating qualities.

a bland master of ceremonies

smooth suggests often a deliberately assumed suavity.

a smooth salesman

politic implies shrewd as well as tactful and suave handling of people.

a cunningly politic manager

Examples of suave in a Sentence

I am pleased, also, to think I pulled it off. I didn't do anything too stupid or gauche, and even though it was my first time at a spa, I managed to bluff my way through in a suitably suave, urbane fashion without any embarrassing social gaffes. Will Ferguson, Beauty Tips From Moose Jaw, 2004
When she had been Miss Tampa, a suave major leaguer had courted her till she found out he was married, with children. Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 19 Mar. 2001
Bobby gets a lot of tough love at home. As suave and polite as he seems to outsiders, he has "two personalities," says his stepmother Wille. "He's a con artist." His parents kicked him out of the house in August, trying to scare him after he came home drunk at 5 a. m. Stacy Perman, Time, 25 Oct. 1999
a suave and sophisticated businessman the suave gentleman was a great favorite of the elegant ladies who attended parties at the embassy
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Will — who has a cameo in the new film led by David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman 47 years after his father first portrayed the superhero in 1978 — looked suave in a pinstripe blue suit over a relaxed white button-up, while Dubin rocked a slinky, sparkly silver spaghetti-strap gown. Jen Juneau, People.com, 8 July 2025 Excited fans cheer and snap videos as the boy-band star — looking suave in an open button-down shirt and shades — passes by. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 July 2025 Slick, balanced, suave and silky brilliant tannins. Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025 While the Daily Mail said Kelce looked suave, one popular NFL social media account had an entirely different take. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for suave

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, pleasant, sweet, from Latin suavis — more at sweet

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of suave was in 1831

Cite this Entry

“Suave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suave. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

suave

adjective
suaver; suavest
: smoothly polite and agreeable
a suave young man
suavely adverb
suaveness noun
suavity noun

More from Merriam-Webster on suave

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