INDEX:
1. words for describing someone who is polite
2. careful not to upset or embarrass someone
3. behaving in a very polite and formal way
4. polite behaviour
5. words for describing children who behave politely and well
6. polite, confident, and relaxed, but in an insincere way
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ RUDE
see also
↑ NICE
↑ KIND
↑ FRIENDLY
↑ BEHAVE
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1. words for describing someone who is polite
▷ polite /pəˈlaɪt/ [adjective]
someone who is polite follows the rules of social behaviour and shows respect for other people and their feelings :
▪ He seemed a very polite young man.
▪ a polite request
it is polite to do something
▪ I didn’t really care what she thought about the book, but I thought it would be polite to ask her.
▪ It’s not considered polite to ask someone how much they earn.
polite to
▪ She’s always extremely polite to me, but I never know what she’s really thinking.
make polite conversation
talk politely about unimportant things, especially to someone you do not know very well
▪ The last thing I felt like doing was making polite conversation with my roommate’s parents.
politely [adverb]
▪ ‘I hope your mother is well?’ he asked politely.
▷ respectful /rɪˈspektf ə l/ [adjective]
showing proper respect for someone who is older than you, has a higher position than you etc :
▪ They waited in respectful silence as the funeral procession went past.
respectful to/towards
▪ If children were taught to be more respectful towards their elders, maybe these crimes wouldn’t happen so often.
▷ civil /ˈsɪv ə l/ [adjective]
polite in a rather formal way, without necessarily being friendly :
▪ I expect a civil answer when I ask you a question.
civil to/towards
▪ I wish you’d be a little more civil towards our guests.
civilly [adverb]
▪ She tried to speak to him civilly, in spite of the bitterness that she still felt towards him.
civility /sɪˈvɪləti, səˈvɪləti/ [uncountable noun]
▪ Throughout my stay on the island I was treated with the utmost civility extremely civilly by everyone there.
▷ courteous /ˈkɜːʳtiəs/ [adjective]
someone who is courteous is polite and considers the needs of other people, especially in formal situations when you do not know the other people well :
▪ Airline staff must be courteous at all times, even when passengers are not.
▪ I received a courteous letter from Jane’s mother thanking me for my help.
courteous to
▪ He was always kind and courteous to me, but we never really became friends.
courteously [adverb]
▪ Customers are always treated courteously in our stores.
▷ well-mannered /ˌwel ˈmænəʳd◂/ [adjective]
someone who is well-mannered has good manners, and always knows the correct way to behave in social situations :
▪ Henry was a typical Oxford man - well-mannered, easy-going, and very sure of himself.
▪ The children were good little things, well-mannered, and beautifully dressed.
2. careful not to upset or embarrass someone
▷ tactful /ˈtæktf ə l/ [adjective]
careful not to mention something that may upset or embarrass someone :
▪ Mandy thought her mother’s outfit was a little too fancy, but was too tactful to say so.
it is tactful of somebody to do something
▪ It wasn’t very tactful of you to ask whether he’d put on weight.
a tactful way of doing something
▪ ‘Besides...’ Melissa hesitated, trying to think of a tactful way of telling him the truth.
tactfully [adverb]
▪ Clare tactfully changed the subject when someone started talking about weddings.
▷ diplomatic /ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk◂/ [adjective]
skilful in the way that you deal with other people, and carefully avoiding saying anything that might offend or annoy them :
▪ A good secretary needs to be efficient, and above all diplomatic.
▪ Robson was trying to be as diplomatic as possible - he didn’t want to risk losing a promotion.
diplomatically [adverb]
▪ My father suggested diplomatically that becoming an astronaut might not be as easy as I thought.
▷ discreet /dɪˈskriːt/ [adjective]
someone who is discreet is careful not to say anything that will embarrass another person, especially by making sure that secret or private information does not become generally known :
▪ Andrew’s very discreet -- he won’t tell anyone you’re leaving.
▪ We offer a discreet and personal service to our clients.
discreetly [adverb]
▪ The lawyer murmured discreetly that he would like to speak to her alone.
▷ polite /pəˈlaɪt/ [adjective]
careful not to offend someone, especially by not being completely honest when telling them what you think about something :
▪ Did you mean what you said about my dress, or were you just being polite?
polite about
▪ The guests were all very polite about the meal, but inside Joan just wanted to cry.
politely [adverb]
▪ When she asked what I thought of the meal I lied politely, and said it was great.
3. behaving in a very polite and formal way
▷ formal /ˈfɔːʳm ə l/ [adjective]
▪ Our boss is very formal - he doesn’t call anyone by their first name.
▪ A lot of people found my father rather formal and aloof, particularly when they first met him.
▪ You shouldn’t use ‘Yours faithfully’ - it’s much too formal for this kind of letter.
formally [adverb]
▪ He stood by the door to welcome the guests, bowing formally to each one in turn.
▷ correct /kəˈrekt/ [adjective not usually before noun]
strictly following all of the rules of polite and formal behaviour, even when this is not necessary :
▪ Andrew’s marriage proposal was very correct and proper.
▪ One must be correct about these things, mustn’t one?
▷ stiff /stɪf/ [adjective not usually before noun]
very formal and difficult to talk to, in a way that makes other people feel uncomfortable :
▪ She gives the impression of being rather stiff and unfriendly, but I think that’s because she’s basically shy.
▪ Their goodbyes were stiff and formal.
stiffly [adverb]
▪ Dr Aziz replied stiffly, ‘I do not consider Mrs Moore my friend.’
4. polite behaviour
▷ politeness /pəˈlaɪtnɪs, pəˈlaɪtnəs/ [uncountable noun]
▪ During my stay in Japan, I was treated with great politeness by everyone I met.
▪ American businessmen were surprised that their French colleagues wanted to shake hands each morning, a formal sign of politeness in the US.
out of politeness
simply in order to be polite
▪ I don’t like cake, but I accepted a piece out of politeness.
▷ manners /ˈmænəʳz/ [plural noun]
polite ways of behaving that parents teach their children for situations such as eating, meeting people, or asking for something :
▪ I wish she’d teach that boy of hers some manners!
table manners
behaviour when you eat
▪ Our kids’ table manners are appalling - it’s like living in the zoo.
▷ good manners /ˌgʊd ˈmænəʳz/ [plural noun]
someone who has good manners knows how to behave politely in social situations, for example, when to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ :
▪ My mother was impressed with Tony’s good manners.
have good manners
▪ We teach our children to speak correctly and to have good manners, and when they become teenagers they do exactly the opposite.
have the good manners to do something
▪ At least she had the good manners to let us know she would be late.
it is good manners (to do something)
it is polite to do something
▪ It wouldn’t be good manners to leave so soon -- the party has only just started.
▷ courtesy /ˈkɜːʳtɪsi, ˈkɜːʳtəsi/ [uncountable noun]
polite behaviour that pays attention to the needs of other people, especially people you do not know well :
▪ Businessmen value the service and courtesy offered by traditional hotels.
▪ When you contact a government office, you should receive efficient service and be treated with courtesy.
out of courtesy
simply in order to be polite
▪ I don’t think she wanted us to come and stay with her, she just offered out of courtesy.
have the courtesy to do something
used especially when you are annoyed with someone who has behaved impolitely
▪ I wish he’d had the courtesy to tell me when he was coming back.
▷ tact /tækt/ [uncountable noun]
the quality of being polite and careful about what you say, in order to avoid making other people feel embarrassed or upset :
▪ Helping people who have marriage problems requires a great deal of tact and patience.
▪ The old woman thrust a picture of a plain-looking girl into Meryl’s hand. ‘Your granddaughter? She’s lovely,’ said Meryl with tact.
▷ formality /fɔːʳˈmælɪti, fɔːʳˈmæləti/ [uncountable noun]
a polite and rather formal way of behaving, which avoids being too friendly :
▪ The following morning, Mr Harrison greeted her with careful formality.
▪ When I re-read my letter I saw that I had written it with a formality that I did not intend.
5. words for describing children who behave politely and well
▷ well-behaved /ˌwel bɪˈheɪvd◂/ [adjective]
a well-behaved child is polite and does not cause trouble or make noise :
▪ His older brother was quieter and far better-behaved.
▪ She was a thoughtful, kind, and well-behaved girl.
▪ Their children are so well-behaved it seems almost unnatural.
▷ good /gʊd/ [adjective]
a child who is good behaves in a polite, obedient and helpful way :
▪ She’s a good girl -- I’m sure she won’t give you any trouble.
▪ What good children - they went to bed as soon as I told them to!
▪ If you’re good you can stay up till eight o'clock tonight.
▷ well-brought up /ˌwel brɔːt ˈʌp◂/ [adjective phrase]
a child or young adult who is well-brought up always behaves well because their parents have taught them to be polite :
▪ They are well-brought-up children, and have a great respect for their teachers.
▪ David is very well-brought up, but he does have a nasty temper sometimes.
6. polite, confident, and relaxed, but in an insincere way
▷ smooth /smuːð/ [adjective]
someone who is smooth, especially a man, has good manners and a relaxed, confident way of talking to people, but in a way that you do not completely trust :
▪ Smooth and charming, Francis was the kind of man your mother would love you to marry.
▪ Don’t let his smooth manner fool you - he’s just after your money.
▷ suave /swɑːv/ [adjective]
very polite, pleasant and stylish, especially in a way that is intended to be attractive to women :
▪ Reginald was suave, handsome and charming.
▪ He was tall and suave, careful in dress, careful in behaviour.