Words / B2

GRAYSFL/ˈɡreɪsfl/

Graceful means elegant in movement, or polite even in refusal: a graceful athlete; a graceful concession. Elegant is close; clumsy is an opposite. Grace is the noun (separate headword). A graceful concession in debate. Do not call a blunt Ofsted letter graceful.

Meaning

Moving in an elegant way; also polite even when refusing.

Examples

• “A graceful concession in the debate scored more than a sneer.”
• “The crane’s movement looked graceful on the time-lapse, which is physical.”

Good to know

a graceful movement / concession / exit. Noun: grace. Close: elegant. Opposite: clumsy / abrupt. Sport, dance, and diplomacy.

Near in meaning

elegant

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