1
as in soothing
not harsh or stern especially in nature or effect
use a gentle detergent on that delicate silk blouse her gentle ways
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in temperate
marked by temperatures that are neither too high nor too low
whisk the egg yolks in a double boiler set over a gentle heat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aristocratic
of high birth, rank, or station
loved reading about the days when gentle lords and ladies danced at fancy balls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in soft
not loud in pitch or volume
the mother spoke in a gentle voice to her child
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in noble
a man or woman of high birth or social position
the archbishop treated both the gentles and the commoners with respect and kindness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to appease
to lessen the anger or agitation of
employees soon learned that their hot-tempered boss needed to be gentled several times a day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to caress
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
soothingly gentled his cat's head as she was being treated by the vet
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to soften
to lessen the shock of
adding a bit of sugar to the salsa will gentle the hot spiciness of the chili peppers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 gentle
Essence, 11 Sep. 2025
According to the Peacock mockumentary The Paper, Truth Teller, too, may plunge into the gossip minefield, within the gentler confines of Toledo.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2025
Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2024
Glock’s music is historically not a statement of record for the sheepish and the gentle.
—Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2023
Jessica Copeland, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2024
The material doesn’t want sophisticated adults mucking about in it or, worse, gentling its hard edges for commercial consumption.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gentle
Adjective
Some people enjoy gentle licking or kissing here, while others respond to massage-like pressure.
—Essence, 11 Sep. 2025
According to the Peacock mockumentary The Paper, Truth Teller, too, may plunge into the gossip minefield, within the gentler confines of Toledo.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
This gentle for your skin option features collagen, and other ingredients known to help lock in moisture in your skin for reduced risk of eczema breakouts.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2024
Glock’s music is historically not a statement of record for the sheepish and the gentle.
—Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2023
Verb
From transformative serums to gentle yet effective cleansers, this list has something for everyone to add to their skincare routine.
—Jessica Copeland, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2024
The material doesn’t want sophisticated adults mucking about in it or, worse, gentling its hard edges for commercial consumption.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gentle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentle
Adjective
-
They’re placed on or next to the body and struck with a mallet to release a calming vibration and mellifluous tone that eases muscles, sparking an immediately soothing effect on the nervous system and improving synaptic responses in the brain.—
Terry Elward,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Whatever the manifestation—hair-tucking, shorts-pulling, ball-bouncing, bobbing, pocket-checking, or something else entirely—the familiarity of these motions can have a soothing effect, calming the player’s nerves before a big shot.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
There are simply many times more people in temperate and tropical countries who may want to go cool for their holidays, than people in the north who have hitherto wanted to heat up during their vacations.—
Mattias Goldmann,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Autumn in this subtly shifting terrain brings temperate days for adventuring and arts festival-hopping — and cool nights for stargazing and firepit lounging.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
When Coverley and the girls returned to England, in 1969, Lucian arranged for Bella to spend time with some aristocratic hippies who travelled around southern England in caravans.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
While its aristocratic history may be a thing of the past, the hotel (along with its grounds) does still exude the stately, elegant aura of a noble mansion.—
Erica Wertheim Zohar,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Traditional shades of red and green remain present, but they’re joined by bubble gum pink and soft blue for a more eclectic palette.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Tejasvi designed it with large-font type to make text easier to see and read, and a soft, blue theme intended to be soothing to people who may come to the site fresh from a scam and be fearful or frazzled.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Letters from nobles and tavern menus are presented as handouts and players keep track of their treasure with little punch out gold coins.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Set in 1819 Hispaniola, just prior to the Dominican Republic’s push for independence, the drama centers on an unexpected trio – a young Spanish noble, a skilled Chinese silk artisan and a Haitian soldier who’s abandoned his post.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Spin-Off and Beyond Holliday’s popularity was so immense (and to potentially appease Linda Lavin), CBS gave her a spinoff, Flo, which ran for two seasons (1980–81) and earned her another Golden Globe nomination.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
What we’ve been taught to call intimacy—caretaking, appeasing, overfunctioning—is just codependency.—
Vanessa Bennett,
SELF,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Young Pope star was seen caressing Coan’s back and whispering in her ear.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
In photos the pop superstar shared, Kelce could be seen down on one knee as Swift caressed his face during the intimate moment.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
What’s more, a lot of Americans still have mortgage rates that are low enough to make the idea of a move daunting, and affordability overall hasn’t improved much even as the economy has softened.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The economic environment remains foggy, with uncertainty around tariffs and a labor market that, while softening in some areas, remains remarkably resilient in others.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gentle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gentle. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share