gentle

SayJEN-tuhl/ˈd͡ʒɛntl̩/UK/ˈdʒɛntl̩/

Verbgentles, gentling, gentled

Noun pluralgentles

13 meanings of gentle

Practice

1
adjective
Soft and mild, not hard or rough.
Like a soft touch that never hurts.
She gave the baby a gentle pat on the back.
A gentle breeze moved through the open window.
Similarsoft, mild, light, soothing, quiet
Oppositeharsh, loud, heavy, violent
Note
2
adjective
Kind and caring toward other people.
Like a friend who is always kind and never mean.
My grandmother was a gentle woman who never raised her voice.
He has a gentle heart and always helps his friends.
Similarkind, tender, kindly, mild, caring
Oppositeharsh, cruel, unkind, rough
3
adjective
Going up or down slowly, not steep.
Like a small slope you can walk up easily.
We walked up a gentle hill behind the house.
The path has a gentle slope that is easy to climb.
Similargradual, slight, easy, moderate, mild
Oppositesteep, sharp, abrupt
4
adjective
Polite and respectful, not rude.
Like asking nicely instead of shouting.
He gave a gentle reminder to be quiet in the library.
She wrote a gentle reply to the angry letter.
Similarpolite, tactful, courteous, gracious, diplomatic
Oppositerude, blunt, harsh, brusque
5
adjective
Calm and easy to control, like a tame animal.
Like a tame pet that always does what you ask.
The pony is so gentle that small children can ride it.
We chose a gentle dog that is easy to train.
Similardocile, tame, placid, quiet, manageable
Oppositewild, unruly, fractious
6
verbtransitive
To make someone or something calm and relaxed.
Like calming a scared animal by speaking softly.
She gentled the nervous puppy with soft words.
He tried to gentle the crying baby back to sleep.
Similarsoothe, calm, settle, quiet, pacify
Oppositeagitate, upset, excite, disturb
7
verbtransitive
To train a wild animal so it is calm and safe to handle.
Like slowly making friends with a scared animal until it trusts you.
It took weeks to gentle the wild colt.
The rancher gentled each horse before selling it.
Similartame, break, domesticate, train
Note
8
verbintransitive
To slowly become calm and soft.
Like a rough sea slowly turning calm.
His voice gentled when he saw she was upset.
The wind will gentle by evening.
Similarsoften, calm, mellow, ease, subside
Oppositeharden, intensify, strengthen
Note
9
nouncountable
A small maggot that anglers use to catch fish.
Like using a worm on a hook, but it's a maggot instead.
He baited his hook with a single gentle.
The shop sells gentles by the tub for weekend fishing.
Similarmaggot
Note
10
nouncountable
A trained falcon used in falconry.
Like a hunting dog, but it's a trained falcon instead.
The hunter sent his gentle after the rising ducks.
A well-trained gentle returns to the glove on command.
Similarfalcon
Note

Less common meanings

11
adjectivearchaic
Born into a respected family, but not a noble one.
Like coming from a well-known family that everyone respects.
She came from a gentle family, well respected in the town.
the studies wherein our noble and gentle youth ought to bestow their time
[1644], [John Milton], Of Education. To Master Samuel HartlibHere, gentle means born into a good, respectable family.
Note
12
nounarchaic
A person born into a high or important family.
Like a person everyone treats as important because of their family.
Only a gentle could afford such fine clothes in those days.
Gentles, methinks you frown.
c. 1590, William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”Here, Gentles means people from high-ranking families.
Note
13
verbobsoletetransitive
To raise someone to a noble rank.
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of gentle apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from Old French gentil meaning "noble," which came from Latin gentilis, "of the same family or clan," from gens, a "clan."