courteous
adjective
cour·te·ous
ˈkər-tē-əs 
British also ˈkȯ-
1
: marked by polished manners, gallantry, or ceremonial usage of a court
2
: marked by respect for and consideration of others
courteously
adverb
courteousness
noun
Examples of courteous in a Sentence
There was no doubt that his stubbornly held and trenchantly expressed views—his trenchancy always tempered, however, by his gently courteous manner—contributed significantly to his unpopularity …
—
Simon Winchester, The Man Who Loved China, 2008
… she has seen generations of boys come and go, some well groomed and courteous, others rough and uppity …
—Julian Barnes, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 1990
He joined us in the Yellow Room with … his son, a thoughtful, courteous, nice doctor …
—Lady Bird Johnson 27 May 1964,
in A White House Diary, 1970
The clerks were helpful and courteous.
their customer service department always gives courteous responses, even to rude people
Simon Winchester, The Man Who Loved China, 2008
… she has seen generations of boys come and go, some well groomed and courteous, others rough and uppity …
—Julian Barnes, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 1990
He joined us in the Yellow Room with … his son, a thoughtful, courteous, nice doctor …
—Lady Bird Johnson 27 May 1964,
in A White House Diary, 1970
The clerks were helpful and courteous.
their customer service department always gives courteous responses, even to rude people
Recent Examples on the Web
The book covers everything from formal introductions to declining invitations to courteous shopping.
—Wesley Morris Ron Butler Emma Kehlbeck Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
The agents remain courteous, if thrown off their game.
—Hannah Allam, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
There was no line, so I was processed quickly, efficiently, and with a courteous attitude.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Don’t forget your manners: Corkage is a courtesy, so be courteous.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2024
Amos himself, a courteous Southern grandfather who relishes the chance to tell a story, has wings of blondish hair, round tortoiseshell glasses, and the executive fashion sense of a pre-Zuckerberg era: suit, loafers, pocket square.
—Maria Aspan, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
Johnson, ever courteous, approached Cheney before the meeting.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024
Clear and courteous communication of your needs allows the crew members to customize their service to meet your expectations, ensuring a more enjoyable and personalized journey.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Maggiore, a courteous Midwesterner, could be heard apologizing to someone on the phone.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2023
Wesley Morris Ron Butler Emma Kehlbeck Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
The agents remain courteous, if thrown off their game.
—Hannah Allam, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
There was no line, so I was processed quickly, efficiently, and with a courteous attitude.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Don’t forget your manners: Corkage is a courtesy, so be courteous.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2024
Amos himself, a courteous Southern grandfather who relishes the chance to tell a story, has wings of blondish hair, round tortoiseshell glasses, and the executive fashion sense of a pre-Zuckerberg era: suit, loafers, pocket square.
—Maria Aspan, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
Johnson, ever courteous, approached Cheney before the meeting.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024
Clear and courteous communication of your needs allows the crew members to customize their service to meet your expectations, ensuring a more enjoyable and personalized journey.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Maggiore, a courteous Midwesterner, could be heard apologizing to someone on the phone.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'courteous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near courteous
Cite this Entry
“Courteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courteous. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
courteous
adjective
cour·te·ous
ˈkərt-ē-əs
1
: marked by good manners suitable to a court
2
: marked by respect for and consideration of others
courteously
adverb
courteousness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share