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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word cordial different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of cordial are affable, genial, gracious, and sociable. While all these words mean "markedly pleasant and easy in social intercourse," cordial stresses warmth and heartiness.

our host was cordial as he greeted us

When could affable be used to replace cordial?

The synonyms affable and cordial are sometimes interchangeable, but affable implies easy approachability and readiness to respond pleasantly to conversation or requests or proposals.

though wealthy, she was affable to all

When is genial a more appropriate choice than cordial?

In some situations, the words genial and cordial are roughly equivalent. However, genial stresses cheerfulness and even joviality.

a genial companion with a ready quip

In what contexts can gracious take the place of cordial?

The words gracious and cordial can be used in similar contexts, but gracious implies courtesy and kindly consideration.

the gracious award winner thanked her colleagues

When is it sensible to use sociable instead of cordial?

While the synonyms sociable and cordial are close in meaning, sociable suggests a genuine liking for the companionship of others.

sociable people who enjoy entertaining

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cordial
Adjective
Carney, who won election last week on a platform of confronting Trump’s threats, sought to strike a cordial tone, and the two leaders showered praise on one another in the Oval Office before a closed-door meeting that stretched for 90 minutes. Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025 Ortiz had enjoyed a cordial relationship with Owens in the past and has enjoyed respect throughout his career, these people indicate, but his new presence left show producers feeling they were being monitored by outsiders with motivations not entirely focused on the program. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
This basket includes the treats: chocolate caramel grahams, prosecco cordials, midnight snack mix and gourmet popcorn. Nora Colomer, Fox News, 13 Dec. 2024 This year, skip the small-batch scotch or whisky; something feels right, right now, about cordials and liqueurs—high-alcohol spirits that are sweetened with fruit, and sometimes splashed with vinegar or spice. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for cordial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cordial
Adjective
  • And waters in the eastern subtropical Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean are warmer than normal for this time of year.
    Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2025
  • But has life ever gotten better than a warm nighttime in the stands during a pitchers’ duel with a beer and a hot dog?
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 28 May 2025
Adjective
  • Its three-stateroom design lets owners and guests can enjoy weekend cruising, while the exterior promotes gracious outdoor living in the large beach-club area, or up on the sport bridge.
    Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 28 May 2025
  • Ohio State fans were actually gracious in honoring him before the game.
    David Ubben, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • That glistening swimming hole might look—and feel—refreshing on a sweltering day.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 23 May 2025
  • In an era of horror mired in pathos and trauma metaphors, there’s a refreshing simplicity to movies that are just about finding new ways to turn people into goop.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • One group received turmeric tonic twice a week for nine weeks, while the other group received a placebo.
    Rebeca Schiller, Verywell Health, 16 May 2025
  • Then choose a tonic style from among several options, and then finally the décor and flavor enhancements.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • During public remarks in 2022, Justice Elena Kagan – one of the court’s three liberal justices − spoke out against sweeping injunctions and the ability of challengers to find one friendly judge to issue such an order.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 12 May 2025
  • Hussain has a friendly, reassuring presence, making the already-simple recipes even less intimidating.
    Katie Rife, EW.com, 11 May 2025
Adjective
  • Inside, the floor plan proved more than hospitable.
    Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • An installation at a Danish university campus employed these bricks to form wiggly pathways hospitable to marine life, which induce campus-goers to move in an undulating path and perhaps to think more like fish, said Christiansen in a video interview before the conference.
    Laura Rysman, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • Indiana’s 15-year pause in executions stemmed largely from difficulty obtaining lethal injection drugs.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025
  • She was later released on the conditions of her bail, including no consumption of alcohol, marijuana or non-prescribed drugs, and had to submit random tests for each.
    Esther Kang, People.com, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • The 2025 survey polled more than 1,300 physician offices looking at average wait time among six specialties: obstetrics/gynecology, cardiology, orthopedic surgery, dermatology, gastroenterology, and family medicine.
    Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • Israel also blocked all food, medicine and fuel from entering Gaza for 2½ months before letting a trickle of aid enter last week, after experts' warnings of famine and pressure from some of Israel's top allies.
    WAFAA SHURAFA, Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cordial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cordial. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

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