complaisant

as in gracious
formal willing or eager to please other people a complaisant young intern who happily accepted any task

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word complaisant distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of complaisant are amiable, good-natured, and obliging. While all these words mean "having the desire or disposition to please," complaisant often implies passivity or a yielding to others because of weakness.

was too complaisant to protest a decision he thought unfair

In what contexts can amiable take the place of complaisant?

The words amiable and complaisant can be used in similar contexts, but amiable implies having qualities that make one liked and easy to deal with.

an amiable teacher not easily annoyed

When could good-natured be used to replace complaisant?

The meanings of good-natured and complaisant largely overlap; however, good-natured implies cheerfulness or helpfulness and sometimes a willingness to be imposed upon.

a good-natured girl who was always willing to pitch in

When can obliging be used instead of complaisant?

The words obliging and complaisant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, obliging stresses a friendly readiness to be helpful.

our obliging innkeeper found us a bigger room

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complaisant
Adjective
  • But each woman who was so gracious to spend time speaking with me is someone whose films have moved me.
    Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Darvish was gracious when asked about Gurriel’s gesture at the time.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The island is also home to a wide selection of family friendly all-inclusive resorts, including the luxury all-inclusive Barceló Aruba.
    Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2025
  • But even that, an idea borrowed from other states, the federal government and even the city of Chicago, failed to get traction, another example of lawmakers and friendly lobbyists showing little appetite for changing how Springfield does business.
    Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • That didn’t stop Durant from considering each question before providing a thoughtful answer.
    Darnell Mayberry, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Additionally, the firm is a long-term, thoughtful and diligent investor known for creating value behind the scenes.
    Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Though the Post was amenable to publishing the inside ad, Common Cause told the paper to forget it and walked away.
    Liam Reilly, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
  • That stance has unnerved Ukraine, lending a sense of urgency to Kyiv’s need to appear willing to negotiate and to be amenable to Washington’s proposals on a peace deal.
    Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Such agreeable conditions, however, were not to last for poor Miopetaurista.
    Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The original cost is already an agreeable number for leggings.
    Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 26 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Complaisant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complaisant. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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