debonair

adjective

ˌde-bə-ˈner How to pronounce debonair (audio)
Definition of debonairnext
1
as in nonchalant
having or showing freedom from worries or troubles his debonair dismissal of my inquiry concerning his financial situation led me to believe that nothing was wrong

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sophisticated
having or showing very polished and worldly manners the debonair gentleman charmed all of the ladies in the room

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of debonair To this day, his 2019 Aladdin movie still ranks as one of the most rip-roaring live action adaptations of a Disney cartoon while his take on Sherlock Holmes was more of a bare-knuckle bruiser than a debonair detective. — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 Pierce Brosnan brought a suave, debonair approach, while Daniel Craig introduced a gritty realism and vulnerability to Bond. — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 17 June 2026 Hong Kong icon Tony Leung has channeled brooding urban energy for the masterpieces of Wong Kar-Wai, balancing the debonair ennui of Marcello Mastroianni with the quiet watchfulness of Montgomery Clift. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 May 2026 Field played Miranda Hillard, Daniel’s ex-wife, while Pierce Brosnan portrayed her debonair new love interest, Stu. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for debonair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debonair
  1. nonchalant
  2. sophisticated
  3. carefree
  4. suave
  5. insouciant
  6. graceful
  7. cavalier
  8. civilized
Adjective
  • Textures contributed in telegraphing the nonchalant approach to dressing that defines the brand.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Just a rugged man in a stream There is, of course, nothing nonchalant about the exchange.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of nonchalant
Adjective
  • But our latest research shows how these tombs – built for Etruscans of higher socioeconomic and political status—were designed to offer sophisticated sensory experiences.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • There are more ways than ever to discover a new brand, more sophisticated motorcycles to build, more accessible manufacturing technology, and a global audience sitting just a click away.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of sophisticated
Adjective
  • The song celebrates the beauty of one’s native land and the innocence and carefree spirit of childhood.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Their bouncy attitudes inevitably mold the vast open country in their own carefree image.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of carefree
Adjective
  • Someone with aura is confident, cool, collected, and suave; someone without aura is insecure, cringey, or generally uncool.
    — Stephanie Kasulka, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In the first series, Bateman plays Vince, a charismatic and chaotic screw-up who reunites with his brother, suave bar owner Jake (Jude Law).
    — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of suave
Adjective
  • Midi lengths refuse to commit to long or short camps, settling in the middle for a moment that's polished and truly insouciant.
    — Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
  • There is nothing insouciant about me.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of insouciant
Adjective
  • Decor, such as in Room 210, is a graceful fusion of white wood rafters, French oak, and stone flooring.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • This beautiful retrospective volume shows a poet developing steadily, from the graceful descriptions and encoded trauma of the poems from the 1990s through the loosening music and political engagement of the books of the last ten years.
    — Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of graceful
Adjective
  • What makes this emptiness more bothersome is the cavalier way Wingard wields the imagery of rogue, militarized killers wreaking havoc on the American landscape.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Perhaps most viscerally, given the ever-present specter of nuclear annihilation during the Cold War, Capps was appalled by Falwell’s apocalyptic rhetoric and cavalier posture toward global destruction.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of cavalier
Adjective
  • For years, Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner has been portrayed as the civilized way to travel to and from San Diego.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The result, at least on opening day, felt considerably more civilized.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of civilized

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debits
debonair
debrief
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Cite this Entry

“Debonair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debonair. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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