as in politeness
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Recent Examples of politesse
In 1948, Vogue published its 658-page Book of Etiquette, compiled by editor Millicent Fenwick, featuring how-tos, dos and don’ts, and the proper politesse for a remarkably varied set of scenarios.
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Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2025
Then Dave Foley smoothed over the fight with perfect Canadian politesse, saying Black’s idealism was adorable in 2025.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2025
Even today, when people complain that much of the excitement of live bidding has disappeared, salesrooms at the major auction houses retain a singular atmosphere of politesse and extortion.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Behind the political politesse is the challenge of urban mayors to advocate for immediate needs, while also playing the longer game of seeking structural changes in how Connecticut meets its constitutional responsibility of equitably funding public education.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025
Her social politesse transforms into a maternal fury and the air turns blue with inventive insults.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
While Jones and O’Dowd balance tenderness with dark humor, Ellis masters the art of cold corporate politesse.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
When the vast majority of characters in the franchise behave respectfully, the Emperor’s lack of politesse is a breath of fresh air.
—Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for politesse
Noun
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The advice here is to stop overcommitting out of politeness.—
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And yet, beneath the veil of politeness, there was rhetoric from the US president that suggests his default position in negotiations is still to pressure Kyiv, while appeasing Moscow.—
Noun
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In modernizing and Americanizing the Charles Dickens novel, Alfonso Cuarón expunged many of Great Expectations’s subplots in favor of a 1998-friendly romantic drama that cemented Paltrow as an emblem of gentility.—
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Ferrara’s arrival in New York City and subsequent entry into the movie business is presented as something like a case of recidivism, a dive from suburban gentility into the cauldron of steaming garbage that was Fun City–era Manhattan.—
Noun
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The republic would treat other nations with civility precisely in order to remain independent of their appetites and quarrels.—
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And both yearn for the days of more civility and less anger.—
Noun
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The confrontation is sparking a conversation about theater etiquette.—
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Despite facing public scrutiny for everything from her etiquette to her clothes to her appearance, she is remembered as a style icon.—
Noun
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Like many who spoke out after the couple’s alleged murder, Elwes described Reiner’s warm personality and graciousness on set, something that often set him apart from other big names in the industry, as well as his willingness to take a chance on a young, relatively unknown actor.—
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Such a brilliant actor, a kind heart and full of graciousness with a shining independent spirit.—
Noun
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An important piece of cosmic intel or a unique insight could arrive courtesy of a friend.—
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Bieber paired the mesmerizing dress with large statement 30-carat diamond studs, a few diamond rings courtesy of Lorraine Schwartz, and a pair of black open-toed heels.—
Noun
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Usually, nothing happens, because that’s the beauty of us everywhere, there’s the same story, just the decorum changes and the dynamic changes.—
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Others just get giddy having a green light to upend society’s rules of decorum, even for a short window of time.—
Noun
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The freedom to travel freely will allow those of us contending with a disability to live our lives with the same autonomy and dignity as every other citizen in our city.—
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Principles like the moral equality of persons, the principle that everyone deserves dignity and respect, and that people should not be judged on the basis of morally irrelevant features beyond their control.—
Cite this Entry
“Politesse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/politesse. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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