as in gracious
formal
willing or eager to please other people
a complaisant young intern who happily accepted any task
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Recent Examples of complaisant
However, Imperial County landowners and complaisant U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials ignored that limit, allowing rapid consolidation of land, says Andrés, who wrote his doctoral dissertation on the county’s early years.
—
Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 9 Nov. 2023
Last month Ferrari lofted its banners over a resort near the southern port of Cagliari and invited journalists to test-drive the new Ferrari Roma Spider, taking advantage of the excellent tarmac, ideal weather and complaisant authorities.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 5 Oct. 2023
Overall, the song feels like a deep analysis and reflection on the complaisant position men may take in love and relationships, giving us a track that reams out awful boyfriends and the mindless behavior of their partners who continue to allow them back into their lives to act this way.
—Abby Dupes, Seventeen, 21 May 2022
But Ohio shouldn’t get complaisant.
—Julie Washington, cleveland, 8 Apr. 2021
In each case, the man has an energetic wife who has continued making public appearances while her husband retreats behind a veil of discretion at which a complaisant press seems reluctant to tug.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 3 Mar. 2023
Private institutional investors such as BlackRock and Vanguard tend to be more complaisant about CEO pay — except for European funds.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023
His admirers included such luminaries as U.S. Sen. Robert Wagner, all of whom turned a complaisant eye to the married Crater’s other life as a randy stage-door johnny with a mistress and a harem of chorus girls and Polly Adler hookers.
—Edward Kosner, WSJ, 20 June 2022
Administrations since have learned not to be so complaisant.
—WSJ, 20 May 2022
Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 9 Nov. 2023
Last month Ferrari lofted its banners over a resort near the southern port of Cagliari and invited journalists to test-drive the new Ferrari Roma Spider, taking advantage of the excellent tarmac, ideal weather and complaisant authorities.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 5 Oct. 2023
Overall, the song feels like a deep analysis and reflection on the complaisant position men may take in love and relationships, giving us a track that reams out awful boyfriends and the mindless behavior of their partners who continue to allow them back into their lives to act this way.
—Abby Dupes, Seventeen, 21 May 2022
But Ohio shouldn’t get complaisant.
—Julie Washington, cleveland, 8 Apr. 2021
In each case, the man has an energetic wife who has continued making public appearances while her husband retreats behind a veil of discretion at which a complaisant press seems reluctant to tug.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 3 Mar. 2023
Private institutional investors such as BlackRock and Vanguard tend to be more complaisant about CEO pay — except for European funds.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023
His admirers included such luminaries as U.S. Sen. Robert Wagner, all of whom turned a complaisant eye to the married Crater’s other life as a randy stage-door johnny with a mistress and a harem of chorus girls and Polly Adler hookers.
—Edward Kosner, WSJ, 20 June 2022
Administrations since have learned not to be so complaisant.
—WSJ, 20 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complaisant
Adjective
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The Mallard Lounge epitomizes the après-ski tradition, providing a gracious transition from active days to relaxed evenings.—
Shelby Knick,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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Mina, worried about her young kids doing the math about her long, grueling commute, cautiously accepts Alma’s gracious offer.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Baseball’s celebration of that day often obscures the fact that MLB hasn’t been African American friendly in decades.—
Terence Moore,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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Vermont's politics and demographics are also more friendly to Sanders' views than other battleground districts in the Trump era.—
Stephen Fowler,
NPR,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Searching for a thoughtful gift for your mother-in-law who has everything?—
Brie Schwartz,
Glamour,
19 Mar. 2025
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The thoughtful renovation opened a new chapter for a mother and her three kids.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The couple were amenable to the idea, and the Pritzker Prize, first awarded to architect Philip Johnson in 1979, went on to become the world’s single most prestigious architecture award.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2025
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Luckily, his style, always so ahead of us, is amenable to the close scrutiny of streaming.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Agreeableness is a valuable quality; individuals who are agreeable typically demonstrate greater empathy, cultivate more fulfilling lives, and forge stronger relationships.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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Indoor, year-round house temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees (cooler at night) are agreeable to most plants.—
Betty Cahill,
The Denver Post,
1 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Complaisant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complaisant. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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