Amenity — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ə-ˈme-nə-tē/ ame·ni·ty

Meaning & Definition of Amenity

Amenity (noun)

  1. something that helps to provide comfort, convenience, or enjoyment
  2. something (such as a conventional social gesture) that promotes smoothness or pleasantness in social relationships
  3. the quality of being pleasant or agreeable

Amenity (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners

    "an unhappy, bickering couple who, at least in public, observe all the amenities of polite behavior"

    similar: attention, civility, courtesy, formality, gesture, pleasantry, politeness
    related: honors, ceremony, observance, rite, ritual, decorum, etiquette, form, manners, mores, proprieties, addresses, devoirs, greetings, regards, respects, favor, grace, kindliness, kindness, protocol, rules

  2. something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary

    "we don't need an expensive hotel with all the amenities—just a place to sleep"

    similar: comfort, extra, frill, indulgence, luxury, superfluity
    related: extravagance, nonessential, dainty, delicacy, nicety, treat, accessory, accoutrement, bells and whistles, option
    opposite: basic, essential, fundamental, must, necessity, requirement

  3. something that adds to one's ease of living

    "that campground has so many of the amenities of home that it is best left to those who only like to pretend they are camping"

    similar: accommodation, comfort, convenience, creature comfort, luxury, mod con (chiefly British), nicety
    related: bonus, extra, benefit, help, service, anodyne, solace, delight, indulgence, joy, pleasure
    opposite: burden, millstone, weight

  4. the state or quality of having a pleasant or agreeable manner in socializing with others

    "at the nursing home Mr. Crawford's natural amenity charms the ladies and puts the men at ease"

    similar: affability, agreeability, agreeableness, amiability, amiableness, geniality, good-naturedness, good-temperedness, graciousness, niceness, personableness, pleasantness, sweetness
    related: amenability, complaisance, mellowness, sweetness and light, amicability, amicableness, amity, cordiality, empressement, friendliness, gemütlichkeit, benignity, gentleness, kindliness, kindness, cheerfulness, cheeriness, sunniness, civility, comity, considerateness, consideration, courteousness, courtesy, politeness, thoughtfulness, attractiveness, delightfulness, enjoyableness, likability, likableness, pleasingness
    opposite: disagreeableness, unpleasantness
    near: boorishness, discourtesy, impoliteness, incivility, rudeness, ungraciousness, biliousness, cantankerousness, churlishness, crankiness, fussiness, grouchiness, grumpiness, irascibility, irascibleness, irritability, peevishness, petulance, testiness, contentiousness, contrariness, orneriness, quarrelsomeness, querulousness, hostility, unfriendliness, sourness, vinegar

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Amenity

The most common words with a similar meaning to Amenity:

Chiefly British: mod con
attention, civility, courtesy, formality, gesture, pleasantry, politeness, comfort, extra, frill, indulgence, luxury, superfluity, accommodation, convenience, creature comfort, nicety, affability, agreeability, agreeableness, amiability, amiableness, geniality, good-naturedness, good-temperedness, graciousness, niceness, personableness, pleasantness, sweetness

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Amenity

Words with the opposite meaning of Amenity:

basic, essential, fundamental, must, necessity, requirement, burden, millstone, weight, disagreeableness, unpleasantness

Related Words for Amenity

honors, ceremony, observance, rite, ritual, decorum, etiquette, form, manners, mores, proprieties, addresses, devoirs, greetings, regards, respects, favor, grace, kindliness, kindness, protocol, rules, extravagance, nonessential, dainty, delicacy, treat, accessory, accoutrement, bells and whistles

Near Antonyms of Amenity

boorishness, discourtesy, impoliteness, incivility, rudeness, ungraciousness, biliousness, cantankerousness, churlishness, crankiness, fussiness, grouchiness, grumpiness, irascibility, irascibleness, irritability, peevishness, petulance, testiness, contentiousness, contrariness, orneriness, quarrelsomeness, querulousness, hostility, unfriendliness, sourness, vinegar

Word Forms of Amenity

Inflections: amenities

Origin & Etymology of Amenity

Middle English amenite, from Latin amoenitat-, amoenitas, from amoenus pleasant

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Amenity

Frequently Asked Questions about Amenity

What does "Amenity" mean?

"Amenity" means something that helps to provide comfort, convenience, or enjoyment. As a noun, it is defined as: something that helps to provide comfort, convenience, or enjoyment. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Amenity"?

Other words for "Amenity" include attention, civility, courtesy, formality, gesture, pleasantry, politeness and comfort. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Amenity" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Amenity"?

There are 98 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Amenity". Common alternatives include attention, civility, courtesy, formality, gesture, pleasantry, politeness, comfort, extra and frill.

What is the opposite of "Amenity"?

Antonyms of "Amenity" include basic, essential, fundamental, must, necessity, requirement, burden and millstone. Near antonyms include boorishness, discourtesy, impoliteness and incivility.

How do you use "Amenity" in a sentence?

Examples of "Amenity" in a sentence: "an unhappy, bickering couple who, at least in public, observe all the amenities of polite behavior"; "we don't need an expensive hotel with all the amenities—just a place to sleep"; "that campground has so many of the amenities of home that it is best left to those who only like to pretend they are camping".

Is "Amenity" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Amenity" is a noun.

Is "Amenity" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Amenity" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Amenity"?

"Amenity" is pronounced /ə-ˈme-nə-tē/ and divided into syllables as ame·ni·ty.