[suave] adj suav.er ; -est [MF, pleasant, sweet, fr. L suavis--more at sweet] (1847) 1: smoothly though often superficially gracious and sophisticated
2: smooth in texture, performance, or style -- suave.ly adv -- suave.ness n -- sua.vi.ty n syn suave, urbane, diplomatic, bland, smooth, politic mean pleasantly tactful and well-mannered. suave suggests a specific ability to deal with others easily and without friction "a suave public relations coordinator". urbane implies high cultivation and poise coming from wide social experience "an urbane traveler". diplomatic stresses an ability to deal with ticklish situations tactfully "a diplomatic negotiator". bland emphasizes mildness of manner and absence of irritating qualities "a bland master of ceremonies". smooth suggests often a deliberately assumed suavity "a smooth salesman". politic implies shrewd as well as tactful and suave handling of people "a cunningly politic manager".