Amiable — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈā-mē-ə-bəl/ ami·a·ble

Meaning & Definition of Amiable

Amiable (adjective)

  1. friendly, sociable, and congenial
  2. generally agreeable
  3. pleasing, admirable

Amiable (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having an easygoing and pleasing manner especially in social situations

    "the owner of the inn is an amiable, talkative widow who treats guests like family"

    similar: affable, agreeable, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, mellow, nice, pleasant, sweet, well-disposed
    related: amicable, clever (dialect), cordial, friendly, neighborly, benign, gentle, kind, cheerful, cheery, glad (archaic), sunny, companionable, conversable, sociable, civil, considerate, courteous, polite, thoughtful, accommodating, amenable, obliging, attractive, delightful, enjoyable, likable
    opposite: disagreeable, ill-natured, ill-tempered, unamiable, ungenial, ungracious, unpleasant
    near: boorish, discourteous, ill-mannered, impolite, inconsiderate, rude, surly, uncivil, unkind, unmannerly, unsociable, bearish, bilious, cantankerous, choleric, churlish, crabby, cranky, dyspeptic, fussy, grouchy, grumpy, ill-humored, irascible, irritable, peevish, petulant, quick-tempered, snappish, testy, touchy, argumentative, contentious, contrary, ornery, querulous, unappealing, unattractive, sour, vinegary

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Amiable

The most common words with a similar meaning to Amiable:

affable, agreeable, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, mellow, nice, pleasant, sweet, well-disposed

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Amiable

Words with the opposite meaning of Amiable:

disagreeable, ill-natured, ill-tempered, unamiable, ungenial, ungracious, unpleasant

Related Words for Amiable

amicable, clever, cordial, friendly, neighborly, benign, gentle, kind, cheerful, cheery, glad, sunny, companionable, conversable, sociable, civil, considerate, courteous, polite, thoughtful, accommodating, amenable, obliging, attractive, delightful, enjoyable, likable

Near Antonyms of Amiable

boorish, discourteous, ill-mannered, impolite, inconsiderate, rude, surly, uncivil, unkind, unmannerly, unsociable, bearish, bilious, cantankerous, choleric, churlish, crabby, cranky, dyspeptic, fussy, grouchy, grumpy, ill-humored, irascible, irritable, peevish, petulant, quick-tempered, snappish, testy

Word Forms of Amiable

Derived words: amiability (noun), amiableness (noun), amiably (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Amiable

Middle English amyable, borrowed from Anglo-French amiable, going back to Late Latin amīcābilis, from Latin amīcus "personal friend, lover, friend in public life, partisan" or amīcāre "to make friendly to oneself, propitiate" (derivative of amīcus) + -bilis "capable (of acting) or worthy (of being acted upon)"; Latin amīcus, noun derivative of amīcus, adjective, "friendly, well-disposed, loving, devoted," derivative of amāre "to feel affection for, love" amateur, -able

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Amiable

Frequently Asked Questions about Amiable

What does "Amiable" mean?

"Amiable" means friendly, sociable, and congenial. As an adjective, it is defined as: friendly, sociable, and congenial.

What is another word for "Amiable"?

Other words for "Amiable" include affable, agreeable, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, mellow and nice. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Amiable" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Amiable"?

There are 38 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Amiable". Common alternatives include affable, agreeable, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, mellow, nice, pleasant and sweet.

What is the opposite of "Amiable"?

Antonyms of "Amiable" include disagreeable, ill-natured, ill-tempered, unamiable, ungenial, ungracious and unpleasant. Near antonyms include boorish, discourteous, ill-mannered and impolite.

How do you use "Amiable" in a sentence?

Examples of "Amiable" in a sentence: "the owner of the inn is an amiable, talkative widow who treats guests like family".

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

"Amiable" is an adjective.

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

As a C2-level word, "Amiable" 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 "Amiable"?

"Amiable" is pronounced /ˈā-mē-ə-bəl/ and divided into syllables as ami·a·ble.