suave

adjective \ˈswäv\

: behaving in a relaxed, confident, and pleasant way in social situations

suav·ersuav·est

Full Definition of SUAVE

: smoothly though often superficially gracious and sophisticated

: smooth in texture, performance, or style

— suave·ly adverb

— suave·ness noun

— sua·vi·ty \ˈswä-və-tē\ noun

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Examples of SUAVE

I am pleased, also, to think I pulled it off. I didn't do anything too stupid or gauche, and even though it was my first time at a spa, I managed to bluff my way through in a suitably suave, urbane fashion without any embarrassing social gaffes. —Will Ferguson, Beauty Tips From Moose Jaw, 2004
When she had been Miss Tampa, a suave major leaguer had courted her till she found out he was married, with children. —Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 19 Mar. 2001
Bobby gets a lot of tough love at home. As suave and polite as he seems to outsiders, he has “two personalities,” says his stepmother Wille. “He's a con artist.” His parents kicked him out of the house in August, trying to scare him after he came home drunk at 5 a. m. —Stacy Perman, Time, 25 Oct. 1999
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Origin of SUAVE

French, from Middle French, pleasant, sweet, from Latin suavis — more at sweet

First Known Use: 1831

Related to SUAVE

Synonyms: debonair, smooth, sophisticated, svelte, urbane

Antonyms: boorish, churlish, classless, clownish, loutish, uncouth

Synonym Discussion of SUAVE

suave, urbane, diplomatic, bland, smooth, politic mean pleasantly tactful and well-mannered. suave suggests a specific ability to deal with others easily and without friction <a suave public relations coordinator>. urbane implies high cultivation and poise coming from wide social experience <an urbane traveler>. diplomatic stresses an ability to deal with ticklish situations tactfully <a diplomatic negotiator>. bland emphasizes mildness of manner and absence of irritating qualities <a bland master of ceremonies>. smooth suggests often a deliberately assumed suavity <a smooth salesman>. politic implies shrewd as well as tactful and suave handling of people <a cunningly politic manager>.