as in gracious
formal
willing or eager to please other people
a complaisant young intern who happily accepted any task
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Recent Examples of complaisant
However, Imperial County landowners and complaisant U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials ignored that limit, allowing rapid consolidation of land, says Andrés, who wrote his doctoral dissertation on the county’s early years.
—
Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 9 Nov. 2023
Last month Ferrari lofted its banners over a resort near the southern port of Cagliari and invited journalists to test-drive the new Ferrari Roma Spider, taking advantage of the excellent tarmac, ideal weather and complaisant authorities.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 5 Oct. 2023
Overall, the song feels like a deep analysis and reflection on the complaisant position men may take in love and relationships, giving us a track that reams out awful boyfriends and the mindless behavior of their partners who continue to allow them back into their lives to act this way.
—Abby Dupes, Seventeen, 21 May 2022
But Ohio shouldn’t get complaisant.
—Julie Washington, cleveland, 8 Apr. 2021
In each case, the man has an energetic wife who has continued making public appearances while her husband retreats behind a veil of discretion at which a complaisant press seems reluctant to tug.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 3 Mar. 2023
Private institutional investors such as BlackRock and Vanguard tend to be more complaisant about CEO pay — except for European funds.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023
His admirers included such luminaries as U.S. Sen. Robert Wagner, all of whom turned a complaisant eye to the married Crater’s other life as a randy stage-door johnny with a mistress and a harem of chorus girls and Polly Adler hookers.
—Edward Kosner, WSJ, 20 June 2022
Administrations since have learned not to be so complaisant.
—WSJ, 20 May 2022
Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 9 Nov. 2023
Last month Ferrari lofted its banners over a resort near the southern port of Cagliari and invited journalists to test-drive the new Ferrari Roma Spider, taking advantage of the excellent tarmac, ideal weather and complaisant authorities.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 5 Oct. 2023
Overall, the song feels like a deep analysis and reflection on the complaisant position men may take in love and relationships, giving us a track that reams out awful boyfriends and the mindless behavior of their partners who continue to allow them back into their lives to act this way.
—Abby Dupes, Seventeen, 21 May 2022
But Ohio shouldn’t get complaisant.
—Julie Washington, cleveland, 8 Apr. 2021
In each case, the man has an energetic wife who has continued making public appearances while her husband retreats behind a veil of discretion at which a complaisant press seems reluctant to tug.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 3 Mar. 2023
Private institutional investors such as BlackRock and Vanguard tend to be more complaisant about CEO pay — except for European funds.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023
His admirers included such luminaries as U.S. Sen. Robert Wagner, all of whom turned a complaisant eye to the married Crater’s other life as a randy stage-door johnny with a mistress and a harem of chorus girls and Polly Adler hookers.
—Edward Kosner, WSJ, 20 June 2022
Administrations since have learned not to be so complaisant.
—WSJ, 20 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complaisant
Adjective
-
The press conference had a very gracious tone on the U.S. relationship.—
Brendan Ahern,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Clara’s Table restaurant is Dearborn Inn’s tribute to Henry Ford’s wife, Clara, a passionate horticulturist and gracious hostess.—
Devorah Lev-Tov,
AFAR Media,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Vermont's politics and demographics are also more friendly to Sanders' views than other battleground districts in the Trump era.—
Stephen Fowler,
NPR,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Baseball’s celebration of that day often obscures the fact that MLB hasn’t been African American friendly in decades.—
Terence Moore,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
No new technology can replace what a thoughtful culture audit can reveal.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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Implementation would take thoughtful planning and coordination among multiple departments, the relevant unions and community members.—
Sam Schoenburg,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As such, the NFL seems to be amenable to taking a long look at shifting more games—and, perhaps, complete TV packages—to the streaming arrivistes.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Yet that rhetoric is something that Americans may be amenable to.—
Henry Gass,
Christian Science Monitor,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The president is denying reports of any political split with the billionaire first buddy and has portrayed the shift as mutually agreeable.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2025
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Mediation, a less formal process, can be a valuable tool if both parties are open to a mutually agreeable resolution.—
True Tamplin,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Complaisant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complaisant. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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