The word grace has many meanings. This article will cover all the meanings of grace, its etymology, example sentences, translations, synonyms, and antonyms. Keep reading to learn more about grace!
What Does the Word Grace Mean?
According to Dictionary, grace is a noun that has many different definitions. Most often, grace refers to the beauty of movement, a sense of propriety, or an attractive quality. In Greek mythology, grace is thought of as three sister goddesses named Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia.
Grace can also refer to temporary immunity from a penalty after something like a bill is due or something has expired and needs renewal, usually known as a grace period for a debtor.
Finally, the title grace can be used for a duke, duchess, archbishop, or other members of nobility. The word grace can also be a verb that means to adorn or honor.
In Christian theology, the grace of God is the state of sanctification and unmerited love that God provides. This gift of God allows for the salvation of sinners in the Christian gospel, and the favor of God leads to salvation for the masses. Grace is sometimes said as a short prayer.
For Christians, God’s grace is thought to be divine assistance from the heavens, and Christ Jesus allows for the absolution of sin.
What Is the Origin of Grace?
Learning the etymology of different words like grace can be useful in understanding their meaning. The word grace has been used since the 1100s in Middle English and comes from Old French. This word comes from the Latin grātia, gratus, and grātus.
How Can We Use Grace in a Sentence?
Since the word grace has numerous definitions, this means that it can be used in many ways in sentences. When you study these example sentences containing the word grace, see if you can determine which meaning is being used in each:
We said grace at the Thanksgiving dinner table to honor God’s divine influence.
We read about the concept of God’s grace in the books of Genesis, Ephesians, and Romans.
The girl in the cotillion walked with grace and impressed all of the banquet’s attendees.
We were grateful that we were still in our grace period when it came time to cancel our subscription to the expensive service.
We honored the duchess by referring to her as “Your Grace.”
What Are Translations of Grace?
The concept of grace is not exclusive to English-speakers — it is present all around the world! If you are going to speak with someone who does not know English and want to talk about the concept of grace, study this list of translations from Nice Translator. That way, you will be prepared to speak about grace in any language.
You might notice that several of these translations of grace look similar to the word grace. This often happens when a word in one language has the same root or language of origin as a word in another language. These wods are called cognates. How many can you spot?
- Polish: wdzięk
- Chinese (Taiwan): 優雅
- Spanish: gracia
- Basque: liraintasun
- Serbian: грациозност
- Arabic: نعمة او وقت سماح
- Italian: adornare
- Japanese: 恵み
- Danish: nåde
- Welsh: gras
- Catalan: gràcia
- Hebrew: חן
- Tamil: கருணை
- Turkish: lütuf
- Portuguese (Portugal): graça
- Icelandic: náður
- Hindi: सुंदर
- Kannada: ಗ್ರೇಸ್
- French: la grâce
- Malayalam: ചാരുത
- Russian: милость
- Thai: เกรซ
- Bengali: অনুগ্রহ
- Swedish: nåd
- Estonian: arm
- Norwegian: nåde
- Bulgarian: гратис
- Marathi: कृपा
- Ukrainian: грація
- Hungarian: kegyelem
- Czech: milost
- Latvian: žēlastība
- Korean: 우아함
- Amharic: ጸጋ
- Vietnamese: duyên dáng
- Urdu: فضل
- Greek: χάρη
- Dutch: elegantie
- Slovak: rozmnožiť
- German: Anmut
- Portuguese (Brazil): graça
- Indonesian: berkah
- Croatian: milost
- Telugu: దయ
- Romanian: graţie
- Gujarati: ગ્રેસ
- Finnish: armo
- Chinese (PRC): 优雅
What Are Synonyms of the Word Grace?
There are several words that can be used in place of the word grace. Since grace has numerous definitions, it can be useful to know synonyms for each in case someone is confused about your intended meaning.
Study this list of synonyms of grace from Power Thesaurus to learn more!
- adorn
- amnesty
- attractiveness
- allowance of time
- beatitude
- beautify
- beauty
- bedeck
- benediction
- beneficence
- benevolence
- benignity
- bless
- blessing
- blessings
- charity
- charm
- clemency
- comeliness
- compassion
- courtesy
- cultivation
- culture
- decency
- deck
- decorate
- decorum
- dignify
- discrimination
- distinguish
- elegance
- embellish
- endowment
- kindliness
- kindness
- leniency
- lenity
- loveliness
- manners
- mercy
- ornament
- pardon
- philanthropy
- piety
- pity
- poise
- polish
- politeness
- prayer
- prettify
- refinement
- reprieve
- righteousness
- sanctity
- seemliness
- sophistication
- style
- suaveness
- suppleness
- tact
- taste
- tastefulness
- thanks
- thanksgiving
- trim
- urbanity
What Are Antonyms of the Word Grace?
Several words also mean the opposite of the word grace, known as antonyms. Power Thesaurus lists numerous antonyms of the word grace.
- abhorrent behavior
- abominable behavior
- abuse
- abusive behavior
- abusiveness
- aggravation
- aggressive behavior
- aggro
- agitation
- annoyance
- antagonism
- anxiety
- arseholery
- atrocious behavior
- attaint
- avarice
- avenged sevenfold
- awkwardness
- bad side
- banefulness
- beg
- betrayal
- blight
- blot
- boorishness
- brass neck
- clumsiness
- clunkiness
- coarseness
- commonness
- complain
- complication
- conflict
- consternation
- controversiality
- controversialness
- controversy
- critical nature
- crudeness
- cruelty
- deface
- demean
- disfavor
- disgrace
- distress
- embarrassment
- evil
- gracelessness
- harshness
- revenge
- ruin
- tastelessness
- trouble
- unseemliness
- vulgarity
Conclusion
Grace is a word with several meanings. It can be used as a noun or verb in various contexts, from general usage to Christian theology. Try using the word grace in a sentence today!
Sources:
- Synonyms of Grace | Power Thesaurus
- Grace antonyms – 420 Opposites of Grace | Power Thesaurus
- Grace Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
- Grace | Nice Translator
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do’s and don’ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
Noun
She walked across the stage with effortless grace.
She handles her problems with grace and dignity.
He has shown remarkable grace during this crisis.
She is quite lovable despite her lack of social graces.
Let us give thanks for God’s grace.
By the grace of God, no one was seriously hurt.
She tried to live her life in God’s grace.
Verb
Several marble statues grace the courtyard.
I hope that you will grace our gathering with your presence.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Small instances of grace like these are more compelling than the author’s efforts to find universal relevance in her endeavor.
—
Barbara Spindel, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2023
The hue was a symbol at a time when the country was in need of grace.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 25 Jan. 2023
Colleges add tutors, mental health resources – and a measure of grace.
—Ira Porter, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jan. 2023
The name, like so much about LeRette’s world—its mingled grotesquerie and humor, its wild manifestations of grace amid grimness—seems drawn from Flannery O’Connor.
—Andrew Kay, WIRED, 17 Jan. 2023
With one note of grace that bears mentioning here: Nearly everyone is brown.
—Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2023
But there also was grace from coach Mark Daigneault, considering the officiating crew on hand.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 17 Dec. 2022
Journeying to a place of wholeness within myself required real accountability, truth-telling, and an abundance of grace.
—Candice Benbow, Essence, 15 Dec. 2022
As unrelentingly harsh as SOS can be with its love interests, there is grace bleeding through a number of these stories of crumbling connections.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2022
The criminal charges in New York are the latest salvo in a profound schism between Trump and his hometown — a reckoning for a one-time favorite son who grew rich and famous building skyscrapers, hobnobbing with celebrities and gracing the pages of the city’s gossip press.
—Michael R. Sisak, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Mar. 2023
Happy birthday to the best sister to grace the face of the earth.
—Country Living, 31 Mar. 2023
The clip features the R&B legend — who originally graced the screen as the iconic princess in the 1997 TV movie Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella — wearing a regal, voluminous gown of baby blue and matching overcoat with her hair in a long, blue braid.
—Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 22 Mar. 2023
With Canvas, artists can create short-form visuals that replace the static album cover art that usually graces smartphone screens.
—Adam Rumanek, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2023
The International Drive dinner-theater attraction is just one of the stages Marshall graced over the years.
—Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2023
The decadent interior continues the color scheme, with yellow leather gracing the seats, steering wheel, and dashboard.
—Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 21 Mar. 2023
The Chelsea Flower Show finally warmed up to them, allowing gnomes decorated by the likes of Elton John and Judi Dench to grace the gardens at the show’s 2013 centenary celebration.
—Nevin Martell, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2023
The busy, fevered covers—everyone looks deranged—practically shout for a browser’s attention, in contrast to the subtler ones gracing later Clowes books like Wilson (2010) and Patience (2016).
—Ed Park, The New York Review of Books, 14 Mar. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘grace.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Other forms: graces; graced; gracing
Grace commonly refers to a smooth and pleasing way of moving, or a polite and thoughtful way of behaving. But when someone says they were late to the airport and only made it onto their plane by the grace of God, they’re talking about grace in the context of God’s favor.
«Social graces» are the skills needed for being polite, and if you are «in someone’s good graces,» they regard you with favor. In Middle English, the word grace originally meant «God’s favor or help,» a sense that we still use today. The related word gracious originally meant «filled with God’s favor or help.» Grace was borrowed from Old French, from Latin gratia, «pleasing quality, favor, thanks,» from gratus, «pleasing.»
Definitions of grace
-
noun
elegance and beauty of movement or expression
“a beautiful figure which she used in subtle movements of unparalleled
grace”-
synonyms:
gracility
-
noun
a sense of propriety and consideration for others
“a place where the company of others must be accepted with good
grace”-
synonyms:
seemliness
-
noun
a disposition to kindness and compassion
“the victor’s
grace in treating the vanquished”-
synonyms:
good will, goodwill
-
verb
make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
-
synonyms:
adorn, beautify, decorate, embellish, ornament
-
ornament
be an ornament to
see moresee less-
types:
- show 54 types…
- hide 54 types…
-
wreathe
decorate or deck with wreaths
-
beset, encrust, incrust
decorate or cover lavishly (as with gems)
-
braid
decorate with braids or ribbons
-
broider, embroider
decorate with needlework
-
stick
cover and decorate with objects that pierce the surface
-
illustrate
supply with illustrations
-
garland
adorn with bands of flowers or leaves
-
fledge, flight
decorate with feathers
-
bespangle, spangle
decorate with spangles
-
foliate
decorate with leaves
-
flag
decorate with flags
-
bard, barde, caparison, dress up
put a caparison on
-
bead
decorate by sewing beads onto
-
pipe
trim with piping
-
applique
sew on as a decoration
-
gild the lily, paint the lily
adorn unnecessarily (something that is already beautiful)
-
vermiculate
decorate with wavy or winding lines
-
smock
embellish by sewing in straight lines crossing each other diagonally
-
hang
decorate or furnish with something suspended
-
prank
dress or decorate showily or gaudily
-
tinsel
adorn with tinsel
-
tart up
decorate in a cheap and flashy way
-
stucco
decorate with stucco work
-
redecorate
redo the decoration of an apartment or house
-
panel
decorate with panels
-
bejewel, jewel
adorn or decorate with precious stones
-
filet, fillet
decorate with a lace of geometric designs
-
scallop
decorate an edge with scallops
-
bedizen
decorate tastelessly
-
dress ship
decorate a ship with flags
-
dress, garnish, trim
decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods
-
trim
decorate, as with ornaments
-
bedeck, bedight, deck
decorate
-
festoon
decorate with strings of flowers
-
enamel
coat, inlay, or surface with enamel
-
inlay
decorate the surface of by inserting wood, stone, and metal
-
lacquer
coat with lacquer
-
begild, engild, gild
decorate with, or as if with, gold leaf or liquid gold
-
illuminate
add embellishments and paintings to (medieval manuscripts)
-
blazon, emblazon
decorate with heraldic arms
-
color, colour, emblazon
decorate with colors
-
fringe
adorn with a fringe
-
fret
decorate with an interlaced design
-
landscape
embellish with plants
-
monogram
mark, print, or embroider with one’s initials or other letters
-
faggot, fagot
ornament or join (fabric) by faggot stitch
-
purl
embroider with gold or silver thread
-
purl
edge or border with gold or silver embroidery
-
plume
deck with a plume
-
hatch
inlay with narrow strips or lines of a different substance such as gold or silver, for the purpose of decorating
-
damascene
inlay metal with gold and silver
-
japan
coat with a lacquer, as done in Japan
-
miniate, rubricate
decorate (manuscripts) with letters painted red
-
miniate
paint with red lead or vermilion
-
type of:
-
alter, change, modify
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
-
ornament
-
verb
be beautiful to look at
-
synonyms:
adorn, beautify, deck, decorate, embellish
see moresee less-
types:
-
ornament
be an ornament to
-
type of:
-
be
have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
-
ornament
-
noun
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
“the conception of
grace developed alongside the conception of sin”“it was debated whether saving
grace could be obtained outside the membership of the church”“the Virgin lived in a state of
grace”-
synonyms:
saving grace, state of grace
-
noun
(Christian theology) the free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God
“God’s
grace is manifested in the salvation of sinners”“there but for the
grace of God go I”-
synonyms:
free grace, grace of God
-
noun
a short prayer of thanks before a meal
“their youngest son said
grace”-
synonyms:
blessing, thanksgiving
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘grace’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
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благодать, милость, изящество, грация, украшать, награждать, удостаивать
существительное ↓
- грация, изящество
natural [bewitching, indescribable, touching] grace — естественная [обворожительная, неописуемая, трогательная] грация 
full of grace — грациозный, изящный, полный грации /изящества/
to do smth. with grace — делать что-л. грациозно /изящно/
she is nothing but grace — она вся изящество и грация
- часто pl привлекательное качество; добродетель
he saw a thousand graces in her — он видел в ней массу /множество/ привлекательных качеств
she has all the social graces — она сама добродетель, она кладезь добродетели
- приличие; такт
he had the grace to say he was sorry — он был достаточно тактичен, чтобы признать свою вину
he had the grace to apologize — надо отдать ему должное, /к его чести надо сказать, что/ он извинился
she had the grace to make her visit brief — у неё хватило такта /ума/ не задерживаться
to have the good grace to do smth. — сделать то, что положено /что приличествует/ (данному случаю)
to have the ill grace to do smth. — иметь бестактность сделать что-л.
you can’t refuse with any grace — отказаться будет верхом неприличия
- любезность
with a good grace — охотно, любезно
with a bad /an ill/ grace — неохотно, нелюбезно
to do smth. with a good grace — пойти навстречу кому-л.; живо откликнуться на что-л.; проявить добрую волю
act of grace — одолжение, услуга
it would be an act of grace on your part — это будет весьма любезно с вашей стороны
- благосклонность, благоволение; расположение
to be in smb.’s good graces — пользоваться чьей-л. благосклонностью, быть в милости у кого-л.
to get into smb.’s graces — снискать чьё-л. расположение, добиться чьей-л. благосклонности
to insinuate oneself into the good graces of smb. — втереться к кому-л. в доверие
to be in the bad graces of smb. — не пользоваться чьей-л. симпатией /благосклонностью, чьим-л. расположением/, быть в опале у кого-л.
to fall out of graces with smb. — попасть в немилость к кому-л., утратить чьё-л. расположение
fall from grace — опала, немилость
ещё 10 вариантов
глагол ↓
- украшать
her character is graced by every virtue — она воплощение всех добродетелей
- награждать, удостаивать
she graced me with a smile — она наградила /одарила/ меня улыбкой
he graced the meeting with his presence — он удостоил собрание своим присутствием
- величать кого-л. «Ваша светлость» или «Ваша милость»
- муз. орнаментовать
Мои примеры
Словосочетания
a woman of surpassing grace and beauty — женщина изумительной красоты и изящества
the liquid grace of a ballerina — непринуждённое изящество балерины
to administer the coup de grace (with a knife) — нанести последний удар (кинжалом)
habitual grace — врождённое изящество
irresistible grace — неотразимое изящество
a lapse from grace — лишение милости
a sample of grace — образец изящества
with a bad grace — неохотно
grace cup — кубок чаша, последний, прощальный бокал, глоток
day of grace — льготный срок
to fall from grace — терять расположение
natural grace — естественная грация
Примеры с переводом
She graced me with a smile.
Она наградила [одарила] меня улыбкой.
He graced the meeting with his presence.
Он удостоил собрание своим присутствием.
The monks prayed daily for grace.
Монахи день и ночь молились о (ниспослании им) благодати.
His portrait graces the wall of the drawing room.
Его портрет украшает стену гостиной.
Max definitely lacked social graces.
Максу явно не хватало светских манер /умения вести себя в обществе/.
Several marble statues grace the courtyard.
Несколько мраморных статуй украшают внутренний двор дома.
Her character is graced by every virtue.
Она — воплощение всех добродетелей.
ещё 23 примера свернуть
Примеры, ожидающие перевода
…she is the very incarnation of grace and tactfulness… 
…walked with the portly grace of the grande dame that she was…
Grace brought us some flowers from her garden.
Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке ☰, напротив примера.
Возможные однокоренные слова
disgrace — позор, немилость, бесчестие, опала, позорить, опозорить, бесчестить, осрамить
graceful — изящный, грациозный, элегантный, приятный
graceless — некрасивый, тяжеловесный, непристойный, развращенный, бесстыдный
gracious — милостивый, добрый, любезный, милосердный, снисходительный, обходительный
graces — грации, игра в серсо, привлекательные свойства
Формы слова
verb
I/you/we/they: grace
he/she/it: graces
ing ф. (present participle): gracing
2-я ф. (past tense): graced
3-я ф. (past participle): graced
noun
ед. ч.(singular): grace
мн. ч.(plural): graces
Britannica Dictionary definition of GRACE
1
[noncount]
:
a way of moving that is smooth and attractive and that is not stiff or awkward
-
She walked across the stage with effortless grace.
2
a
[noncount]
:
a controlled, polite, and pleasant way of behaving
-
She handles her problems with grace and dignity.
-
He has shown remarkable grace during this crisis.
◊ People say you have the (good) grace to do something when they approve of what you do and consider it to be polite and proper.
-
She has the grace [=she is polite/nice enough] to listen to everyone’s complaints.
-
At least he had the good grace to admit that he was wrong.
b
graces
[plural]
:
skills that are needed for behaving in a polite way in social situations
-
She is quite lovable despite her lack of social graces.
3
[noncount]
a
:
help or kindness that God gives or shows to people
-
Let us give thanks for God’s grace.
-
By the grace of God, no one was seriously hurt.
◊ People use the phrase (there) but for the grace of God (go I) to say that they could be in the same bad situation as someone else.
-
I saw a homeless person on the street and thought “there but for the grace of God go I.” [=I am lucky not to be homeless also]
b
:
a state of being pleasing to God
-
She tried to live her life in God’s grace.
-
He died in a state of grace. [=he died after he asked God to forgive his sins]
4
[noncount]
:
a short prayer that is said before a meal
-
They asked her to say grace at dinner.
5
Grace
[noncount]
— used as a title for a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop
— used with his, her, or your
-
His Grace the Duke
-
Yes, Your Grace.
airs and graces
—
see 1air
fall from grace
◊ If you fall from grace or experience a fall from grace, you no longer enjoy the success or good reputation that you once had, usually because you have done something wrong.
-
The governor fell from grace after being accused of tax fraud.
-
The book tells of his fall from grace.
in someone’s good graces
◊ If you are in someone’s good graces, that person likes you and has a good opinion of you.
-
He works late to stay in his boss’s good graces.
with bad/ill grace
:
in a way that shows that you are not happy about something
:
in an unpleasant way
-
They agreed to the compromise with bad grace.
with good grace
:
in a polite and pleasant way
-
She accepted his advice with good grace. [=graciously]
-
They lost the game with good grace.
Britannica Dictionary definition of GRACE
:
to decorate or add beauty to (something)
-
Several marble statues grace the courtyard.
-
Her face has graced [=appeared on] the cover of many magazines.
grace (a person, group, etc.) with your presence
:
to come to a place to be with (a person, group, etc.)
— usually used humorously
-
He finally decided to grace us with his presence [=he finally showed up] 10 minutes after dinner started.
-
Will you be gracing the meeting with your presence? [=will you be coming to the meeting?]