Definitions

polite

[puh-lahyt] / pəˈlaɪt /

ADJECTIVE

mannerly, civilized

Synonyms

STRONGEST

affable amiable attentive civil conciliatory considerate cordial courteous courtly deferential diplomatic friendly genteel gentle good-natured gracious neighborly pleasant respectful sociable sympathetic thoughtful well-behaved well-mannered

WEAK

amenable bland complaisant concerned condescending cultured elegant mild nice obliging obsequious polished politic punctilious refined smooth solicitous urbane well-bred

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aloof antagonistic callous cold cool disagreeable discourteous disrespectful hateful heedless impolite inattentive inconsiderate mean nasty rough rude surly thoughtless uncaring uncivil unfeeling unfriendly unkind unmannerly unmindful unpleasant unrefined unsociable

WEAK

uncivilized unsophisticated

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But the old script — be polite, get ignored, lose anyway — is no longer defensible.

From Salon • May 30, 2026

But the main witness, the police officer who had initially confronted Gamble, was grim-faced, rigidly polite, and completely serious about his claims.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

Resolving some issues took a lot of polite, and desperate, pleading with a machine.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

Tributes were posted on Facebook with the teenager described as "a lovely polite gentle soul" by one writer and another saying they were "heartbroken" at what had happened.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

She’d seen them when Patience had introduced her to Sue at rehearsals, but Natalie had been too polite to ask about them.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Vocabulary lists containing polite

Real Nice!

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

"Kids Like Me: Voices of the Immigrant Experience"

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!