gentle

1 of 3

adjective

gen·tle ˈjen-tᵊl How to pronounce gentle (audio)

gentler ˈjent-lər How to pronounce gentle (audio)

-tᵊl-ər

; gentlest ˈjent-ləst How to pronounce gentle (audio)

-tᵊl-əst

: free from harshness, sternness, or violence

used gentle persuasion

: tractable, docile

a gentle horse

: soft, delicate

the gentle touch of her hand

: moderate

His doctor recommended gentle exercise.

: belonging to a family of high social station

: honorable, distinguished

specifically : of or relating to a gentleman

: kind, amiable

—used especially in address as a complimentary epithet

gentle reader

: suited to a person of high social station

the gentle art of sophisticated conversation

archaic : chivalrous

gently

ˈjent-lē

adverb

gentle

2 of 3

noun

: a person of gentle (see gentle entry 1 sense 4a) birth or status

gentle

3 of 3

verb

gentled; gentling ˈjent-liŋ How to pronounce gentle (audio)

ˈjen-tᵊl-iŋ

transitive verb

: to make (an animal) tame and docile

: to make gentler

: mollify, placate

gentled the raging king

: to stroke soothingly : pet

: to raise from the commonalty : ennoble

intransitive verb

: to become gentle

the wind gentled

Example Sentences

Adjective a dog that is gentle with children Your mother has a gentle manner. a gentle sense of humor I heard a gentle knock at the door. It's a delicate problem that requires gentle handling. The job requires a gentle touch. The cold snap was a gentle reminder that winter was coming. Noun the archbishop treated both the gentles and the commoners with respect and kindness Verb employees soon learned that their hot-tempered boss needed to be gentled several times a day soothingly gentled his cat's head as she was being treated by the vet See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The bottles, cutting boards, and dishes in this collection all feature gentle curves, no sharp edges to be found.

Lauren Phillips, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2022 Both are excellent, especially the burgers that benefit from Coleman’s gentle sprinkling of thyme, oregano and other herbs and spices.

Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 9 Sep. 2022 Her Majesty returned to riding in June, going for gentle strolls on her Fell pony.

Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2022 Join in a gentle 1.5-mile historic walking tour of Providence, starting from the Pedestrian Bridge across from Plant City on Sept. 10 at 10 a.m.

Lauren Daley, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022 The family room also offers memory building stations — areas with signage that serve as gentle reminders for families to spend time with their baby and capture moments through photos.

Megan Becka, cleveland, 7 Sep. 2022 Wendy Maples anchors the play with a warm and gentle performance as hairstylist Truvy, whose 1980s-era back-bedroom salon has been nicely designed and well-appointed by Tony Cucuzzella.

Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2022 The Newfoundland is truly a gentle giant of a dog, though this big, strong breed was originally bred by Canadian fisherman to pull nets and haul wood.

Corinne Sullivan, Woman's Day, 6 Sep. 2022 The milk also takes on a gentle purple hue—and a heady tang of the beach.

Chris Baraniuk, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Sep. 2022

Noun

Coconut milk gentles the green-chile heat in the thick, creamy sauce.

Providence Cicero, The Seattle Times, 10 Aug. 2017 The dog, described as gassy but gentle, spent much of its time on stage plopped on its side.

Joy Johnston, ajc, 24 June 2017

Verb

While a traditional blow dryer pushes air out and causes frizz, a diffuser will just gentle dry hair without any friction.

Tatjana Freund, ELLE, 28 July 2022 Rand greets them with trepidation, pulling his sword out for fear Moiraine will gentle his friend.

Randall Colburn, EW.com, 10 Dec. 2021 The color fades to gentle black as night makes its entrance.

Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2021 From ethereal blues to gentle yellows to feminine pink hues, the spring/summer 2021 runways are leaning into the power of color theory.

Sara Holzman, Marie Claire, 13 Apr. 2021 In this six-week program, veterans have the opportunity to gentle wild mustangs.

Sheila Vilvens, Cincinnati.com, 22 Feb. 2018 Fawcett said the mustangs can be gentled into outstanding pleasure riding horses.

Lynne Terry, OregonLive.com, 7 Jan. 2018 See More

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English gentyl "of aristocratic birth, exhibiting ideal characteristics of the wellborn, of excellent quality, gracious, courteous, kind," borrowed from Anglo-French gentil, borrowed from Medieval Latin gentīlis "of oneʼs own house, of good family or breeding, native, of a non-Jewish nation or faith, not Christian, pagan," going back to Latin "of a Roman gens, of oneʼs own family or tribe, native," from gent-, gens "race, people, gens" + -īlis, suffix of affiliation

Noun

Middle English gentil (usually plural), borrowed from Anglo-French, derivative of gentil "of aristocratic birth, gentle entry 1"

Verb

Middle English gentylen, derivative of gentyl gentle entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1532, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

单词	gentle
释义	gentle 1 of 3 adjective gen·tle ˈjen-tᵊl gentler ˈjent-lər -tᵊl-ər ; gentlest ˈjent-ləst -tᵊl-əst 1 a : free from harshness, sternness, or violence used gentle persuasion b : tractable, docile a gentle horse 2 : soft, delicate the gentle touch of her hand 3 : moderate His doctor recommended gentle exercise. 4 a : belonging to a family of high social station b : honorable, distinguished specifically : of or relating to a gentleman c : kind, amiable —used especially in address as a complimentary epithet gentle reader d : suited to a person of high social station the gentle art of sophisticated conversation e archaic : chivalrous gently ˈjent-lē adverb gentle 2 of 3 noun : a person of gentle (see gentle entry 1 sense 4a) birth or status gentle 3 of 3 verb gentled; gentling ˈjent-liŋ ˈjen-tᵊl-iŋ transitive verb 1 a : to make (an animal) tame and docile b : to make gentler c : mollify, placate gentled the raging king d : to stroke soothingly : pet 2 : to raise from the commonalty : ennoble intransitive verb : to become gentle the wind gentled Synonyms Adjective balmy benign bland delicate light mellow mild nonabrasive soft soothing tender Noun aristocrat blue blood gentleperson noble patrician Verb appease assuage conciliate disarm mollify pacify placate propitiate See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Adjective a dog that is gentle with children Your mother has a gentle manner. a gentle sense of humor I heard a gentle knock at the door. It's a delicate problem that requires gentle handling. The job requires a gentle touch. The cold snap was a gentle reminder that winter was coming. Noun the archbishop treated both the gentles and the commoners with respect and kindness Verb employees soon learned that their hot-tempered boss needed to be gentled several times a day soothingly gentled his cat's head as she was being treated by the vet See More Recent Examples on the Web Adjective The bottles, cutting boards, and dishes in this collection all feature gentle curves, no sharp edges to be found. Lauren Phillips, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2022 Both are excellent, especially the burgers that benefit from Coleman’s gentle sprinkling of thyme, oregano and other herbs and spices. Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 9 Sep. 2022 Her Majesty returned to riding in June, going for gentle strolls on her Fell pony. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2022 Join in a gentle 1.5-mile historic walking tour of Providence, starting from the Pedestrian Bridge across from Plant City on Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. Lauren Daley, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022 The family room also offers memory building stations — areas with signage that serve as gentle reminders for families to spend time with their baby and capture moments through photos. Megan Becka, cleveland, 7 Sep. 2022 Wendy Maples anchors the play with a warm and gentle performance as hairstylist Truvy, whose 1980s-era back-bedroom salon has been nicely designed and well-appointed by Tony Cucuzzella. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2022 The Newfoundland is truly a gentle giant of a dog, though this big, strong breed was originally bred by Canadian fisherman to pull nets and haul wood. Corinne Sullivan, Woman's Day, 6 Sep. 2022 The milk also takes on a gentle purple hue—and a heady tang of the beach. Chris Baraniuk, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Sep. 2022 Noun Coconut milk gentles the green-chile heat in the thick, creamy sauce. Providence Cicero, The Seattle Times, 10 Aug. 2017 The dog, described as gassy but gentle, spent much of its time on stage plopped on its side. Joy Johnston, ajc, 24 June 2017 Verb While a traditional blow dryer pushes air out and causes frizz, a diffuser will just gentle dry hair without any friction. Tatjana Freund, ELLE, 28 July 2022 Rand greets them with trepidation, pulling his sword out for fear Moiraine will gentle his friend. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 10 Dec. 2021 The color fades to gentle black as night makes its entrance. Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2021 From ethereal blues to gentle yellows to feminine pink hues, the spring/summer 2021 runways are leaning into the power of color theory. Sara Holzman, Marie Claire, 13 Apr. 2021 In this six-week program, veterans have the opportunity to gentle wild mustangs. Sheila Vilvens, Cincinnati.com, 22 Feb. 2018 Fawcett said the mustangs can be gentled into outstanding pleasure riding horses. Lynne Terry, OregonLive.com, 7 Jan. 2018 See More Word History Etymology Adjective Middle English gentyl "of aristocratic birth, exhibiting ideal characteristics of the wellborn, of excellent quality, gracious, courteous, kind," borrowed from Anglo-French gentil, borrowed from Medieval Latin gentīlis "of oneʼs own house, of good family or breeding, native, of a non-Jewish nation or faith, not Christian, pagan," going back to Latin "of a Roman gens, of oneʼs own family or tribe, native," from gent-, gens "race, people, gens" + -īlis, suffix of affiliation Noun Middle English gentil (usually plural), borrowed from Anglo-French, derivative of gentil "of aristocratic birth, gentle entry 1" Verb Middle English gentylen, derivative of gentyl gentle entry 1 First Known Use Adjective 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a Noun 15th century, in the meaning defined above Verb 1532, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2 Phrases Containing gentle gentle breeze falcon-gentle gentle giant gentle sex gentle breeze falcon-gentle gentle giant gentle sex Kids Definition gentle adjective gen·tle ˈjen-tᵊl gentler; gentlest 1 : having or showing a kind and quiet nature : not harsh, stern, or violent He was a large but gentle man. 2 : not hard or forceful a gentle wind 3 : not strong or harsh in quality or effect a gentle soap 4 : not steep or sharp gentle hills gentle 1 of 3 adjective 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 soothing mellow soft mild delicate quiet light benign smooth calm serene tender peaceful compassionate tranquil bland merciful placid balmy nonabrasive easy softening pacific lenient clement sleek slick cushioning emollient buffering Antonyms & Near Antonyms powerful harsh stern caustic abrasive coarse rough intense forceful hard fierce ungentle severe strong exquisite violent scathing savage forcible rugged gruff roughened irritating stiff rude pitiless grim oppressive tyrannical roughening abrading heavy-handed tyrannic See More 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 temperate mild soft moderate genial sunny clement equable pleasant peaceful delightful calm tranquil balmy placid clear fair sunshiny cloudless fine halcyon rainless Antonyms & Near Antonyms harsh severe rough intemperate breezy stormy gusty inclement windy blustery misty gray grey rainy gloomy raw blustering bitter bleak hazy cloudy dirty squally dismal overcast foggy nasty foul showery sunless See More 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 aristocratic noble genteel great patrician highbred wellborn highborn grand gentlemanly royal upper-crust blue-blooded upper-class superior regal high silk-stocking lofty ladylike exalted queenly ennobled princely knightly lordly senior kingly elevated high-level Antonyms & Near Antonyms humble low common ignoble lowly plebeian mean inferior knavish ordinary bastard plain nonaristocratic ungenteel illegitimate baseborn lower-class degraded subordinate junior abased See More 4 as in soft not loud in pitch or volume the mother spoke in a gentle voice to her child Synonyms & Similar Words soft quiet soothing hushed silent dull low calm muffled serene tranquil peaceful restful dreamy still softened muted dead stilly toned (down) Antonyms & Near Antonyms loud sonorous thunderous stentorian clamorous thundering piercing plangent booming roaring deafening blasting vociferous ringing clangorous raucous earsplitting brazen overloud resounding noisy harsh blaring obstreperous strident discordant crashing shrill clear grating squealing dinning rip-roaring trumpetlike clarion See More gentle 2 of 3 noun 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 noble aristocrat patrician blue blood gentleperson swell magnate socialite gentlefolks mogul magnifico gentlefolk nabob Antonyms & Near Antonyms commoner plebeian peasant proletarian canaille roturier boor fellah peon pleb See More gentle 3 of 3 verb 1 as in to calm 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 calm appease comfort soothe quiet please placate propitiate mollify pacify conciliate disarm delight console assuage hush satisfy content humor tranquilize flatter gladden ingratiate coax baby tranquillize blandish gratify pamper cajole blarney indulge overpraise coddle mollycoddle adulate spoil wheedle quench satiate sate endear (to) sweeten soft-soap sweet-talk cater (to) dulcify Antonyms & Near Antonyms anger outrage irritate cross infuriate inflame aggravate provoke bother annoy enrage get rouse antagonize ire rile ruffle burn (up) bug chafe grate exasperate vex put out irk slight disturb roil gall rankle incense madden pique discomfort harass distress enflame upset agitate worry persecute pester unsettle perturb insult harry nettle offend affront fret peeve unhinge See More 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 caress pat stroke hug pet love fondle cradle cuddle nuzzle neck paw snuggle spoon massage nose baby nestle knead enfold pamper dandle coddle bill embrace feel up canoodle bounce mollycoddle indulge spoil 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 soften moderate cushion buffer dull temper alleviate modulate mitigate lighten ease dampen baffle obtund allay relieve deaden assuage Antonyms & Near Antonyms intensify sharpen heighten
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gentle

adjective

noun

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing gentle

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

noun

verb