Definitions

genial

[jeen-yuhl, jee-nee-uhl] / ˈdʒin jəl, ˈdʒi ni əl /

ADJECTIVE

extremely nice and happy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

affable amiable cheerful cheery chipper congenial convivial easygoing gentle good-natured gracious jolly jovial kindly pleasant sociable sunny upbeat

WEAK

agreeable amicable blithe cheering chirpy cordial enlivening favorable friendly glad hearty high jocund joyous kind merry neighborly perky up warm warm-hearted

Antonyms

STRONGEST

depressed disagreeable gloomy hateful mean nasty rude sad serious surly unfriendly unhappy unkind unsympathetic upset

WEAK

aloof cold cool cranky irritable moody

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Across the board, the staff is genial and preternaturally accommodating.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026

As the somewhat predictable plot unfolds, Ms. Brown deftly sketches the main characters: a genial Oxford don, a dog-loving manuscript expert, an elegant Austrian scholar, a pompous Princeton professor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

In “Rooster,” a genial comedy premiering Sunday on HBO, Steve Carell, comfortable as an uncomfortable person, plays Greg Russo, the author of a best-selling series of books whose hero is named Rooster.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 2026

The book’s final chapters, informed by social-science research, offer genial guidance on understanding mistakes and preventing them in the future.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

The break he needed came from a genial old former jockey named Asa C. “Acey” Smith, a traveling WgyP ” or gypsy, trainer.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Vocabulary lists containing genial

Fast Food Nation

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Grade 10, List 6

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"The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton

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