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- pronunciation:
- jen
tl
- parts of speech:
- adjective, transitive verb
- features:
- Word Combinations (adjective, verb), Word History, Word Builder, Word Explorer
part of speech: |
adjective |
inflections: |
gentler, gentlest |
definition 1: |
without harshness, aggressiveness, or violence.
A gentle breeze blew through the leaves.The cleanser is very gentle to the skin.His mother told him to be gentle with the kitten.- synonyms:
- balmy, mild, moderate, smooth, soft
- antonyms:
- abusive, acidulous, biting, brutal, extreme, ferocious, fierce, furious, hard, harsh, heavy, jarring, rough, severe, sharp, strident, vicious, violent
- similar words:
- bland, easy, halcyon, light, mellow, peaceful
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definition 2: |
possessing a kind or generous disposition; tender; sweet.
My mother was a gentle woman who cared for those in need.- synonyms:
- amiable, benevolent, benign, humane, kind, mild, sweet, tender
- antonyms:
- ferocious, rough, stern
- similar words:
- affable, bighearted, considerate, gracious, largehearted, merciful, thoughtful
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definition 3: |
gradual or mild; not steep or abrupt.
We easily hiked up the gentle slope.- synonyms:
- gradual, mild
- antonyms:
- abrupt, sharp, steep
- similar words:
- bland, moderate, slight
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definition 4: |
of animals, easily managed or controlled.
He gave the child a gentle horse to ride.- synonyms:
- docile, manageable, tractable
- similar words:
- broken, domestic, meek, tame
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definition 5: |
of a high-ranking family within a society's class system (often used in combination).
He could tell by her manners that she was a woman of gentle birth.He had no choice but to marry a gentlewoman.- synonyms:
- thoroughbred, well-born, well-bred
- antonyms:
- lowly
- similar words:
- aristocratic, genteel, highborn, noble, patrician, respectable
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related words: |
docile, feeble, harmless, innocuous, low-key, pacific, smooth, soft, temperate, tender, tender-hearted |
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part of speech: |
transitive verb |
inflections: |
gentles, gentling, gentled |
definition 1: |
to make calm or gentle.
- synonyms:
- appease, lull, mollify, pacify, quiet, smooth, soothe, still, tranquilize
- similar words:
- melt
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definition 2: |
to make tame.
- synonyms:
- domesticate, tame
- similar words:
- break, dominate, master, subdue
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derivations: |
gently (adv.), gentleness (n.) |
Gentle comes from a Latin word that means "of the same family or race." The present use of "gentle" first occurred in the 1200s.
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