polite

The hope is to become a "big fish" who mediates between the grunts and those with cash, maybe even entering polite society.

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

There are polite smiles and giggles throughout the meal.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

That’s a polite way of saying there were few major category surprises — and I realize many “Heated Rivalry” fans may find offensive.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026

Worst case: blank stare, polite nonrecognition and the humiliation of realizing he doesn’t remember me.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

“Polite too. Sparkle, did you hear how polite this one is?” she shouts back.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

An 18-year-old woman said ghosting was “a little bit politer way to reject someone than to directly say, ‘I do not want to chat with you.’

From Washington Post ● Jul. 25, 2022

She makes unreasonable public demands, he apologizes for her, and then he not-so-subtly reiterates those demands in a slightly politer tone.

From Slate ● May 9, 2019

They wield illusory credits and debits, pecuniary symbols of wealth, all the better to club their opponents into a politer businesslike submission.

From Salon ● Jan. 29, 2019

She admires various classical and modern dancers and choreographers and works, but her own dancers enact a brash and pitiless system of movement that disdains and subverts politer forms.

From The New Yorker ● Jun. 22, 2015

‘Don’t believe what strangers say of themselves either! I am not a fighter. But it would be politer in any case for the challenger to say who he is.’

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien

There are some wonderful communicators in this Scotland team but, in the politest sense, they're fed up communicating and are just desperate to start delivering.

From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2026

“The politest way is to enlist the aid of the flight attendants,” says Jodi RR Smith, an etiquette consultant.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 26, 2024

When confronted about these statements by a reporter, McCain defended the use of the term, saying it was the politest term he could think of.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2021

This was an extended hand from a man I have come to think of as my politest critic.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 2, 2019

When he had no more to tell me, I thanked him in my politest French, and left.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver