plural niceties
1
: the quality or state of being nice
2
: an elegant, delicate, or civilized feature
enjoy the niceties of life
3
: a fine point or distinction : subtlety
the niceties of table manners
4
: careful attention to details : delicate exactness : precision
5
: delicacy of taste or feeling : fastidiousness
Phrases
to a nicety
: exactly, accurately
… liked doing a quiet business in which they were sure of their customers, and could calculate their returns to a nicety.—
George Eliot
George EliotExamples of nicety in a Sentence
knows all the niceties of diplomatic protocol
a woman too fond of the niceties of urban living to even consider becoming a farmer's wife
Recent Examples on the Web
The couple and James’ parents (Andrew Dismukes, Ashley Padilla), while touring a winery, exchange niceties, and everything seems to be going as planned–until Tessa spots the orange tree, and her expression changes immediately.
—William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 2 Mar. 2025
But the pizza videos show that people still yearn for that trace of meanness, that disregard for niceties — that implicit demonstration of a brutal capacity for honesty.
—Willy Staley, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Dispensing with the annoying niceties of multilateral partnerships and foreign aid brings a kind of clarity to international relations, showing where the real muscle is, like a strip-down before a wrestling match.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2025
But Paquita didn’t care about tradition or niceties.
—Leila Cobo, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nicety
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William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 2 Mar. 2025
But the pizza videos show that people still yearn for that trace of meanness, that disregard for niceties — that implicit demonstration of a brutal capacity for honesty.
—Willy Staley, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Dispensing with the annoying niceties of multilateral partnerships and foreign aid brings a kind of clarity to international relations, showing where the real muscle is, like a strip-down before a wrestling match.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2025
But Paquita didn’t care about tradition or niceties.
—Leila Cobo, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nicety
Cite this Entry
“Nicety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nicety. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nicety
noun
nice·ty
ˈnī-sət-ē 
-stē
plural niceties
1
: a dainty, delicate, or elegant thing
enjoy the niceties of life
2
: a small point or detail
niceties of table manners
3
: careful attention to details
nicety is needed in making watches
4
: the point at which a thing is at its best
roasted to a nicety
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