gracious

UK: /ˈgreɪʃəs/ US: /ˈgreɪʃəs/ ,(grā′shəs)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

gra•cious /ˈgreɪʃəs/   adj. 

1. pleasantly kind;
   wishing well to others;
   courteous:
   a gracious host.
2. characterized by good taste, comfort, ease, or luxury:
   gracious suburban living.

interj. 

3. This word is used to express surprise, relief, dismay, etc.:
   Gracious! I've lost my purse.

gra•cious•ly, adv. 
gra•cious•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

gra•cious  (grā′shəs), adj. 

1. pleasantly kind, benevolent, and courteous.
2. characterized by good taste, comfort, ease, or luxury:
   gracious suburban living; a gracious home.
3. indulgent or beneficent in a pleasantly condescending way, esp. to inferiors.
4. merciful or compassionate:
   our gracious king.
5. [Obs.] fortunate or happy.

interj. 

6. (used as an exclamation of surprise, relief, dismay, etc.)

• Latin grātiōsus amiable, equivalent. to grāti(a) grace + -ōsus -ous
• Old French
• 1250–1300; Middle English gracious

gra′cious•ly, adv. 
gra′cious•ness, gra•ci•os•i•ty  (grā′shē os′i tē), n.  Synonyms

• 1. benign, friendly, favorable, polite. See kind ¹.
• 4. tender, clement, mild, gentle.

Antonyms

• 1. churlish.
• 4. cruel.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

gracious / ˈɡreɪʃəs/ adjective

1. characterized by or showing kindness and courtesy
2. condescendingly courteous, benevolent, or indulgent
3. characterized by or suitable for a life of elegance, ease, and indulgence: gracious living, gracious furnishings
4. merciful or compassionate

interjection

1. an expression of mild surprise or wonder (often in exclamatory phrases such as good gracious!, gracious me!)

ˈgraciously adverb

ˈgraciousness noun