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Meaning & use

affability

noun·Advancedformal

Last updated

UK/ˌæfəˈbɪləti/
US/ˌæfəˈbɪləti/

Meaning

  1. noununcountable

    A relaxed, friendly manner that makes a person pleasant and easy to talk to.

    Grammar: No plural and usually no article: his affability won people over.

    Patterns

    • the affability of someone
    • with affability

    The shopkeeper's affability made every customer feel welcome.

    Her affability disarmed even the angriest callers.

    He greeted the visitors with great affability.

Common combinations

natural affability
His natural affability made him a popular teacher.
easy affability
She carried herself with an easy affability.
famed for affability
The mayor was famed for affability rather than for policy.
treat with affability
The host treated every guest with affability.
surface affability
Behind his surface affability was a hard negotiator.

Synonyms and how they differ

friendliness
Friendliness is the everyday word and can describe any warmth, while affability suggests a polished, easygoing sociability.
geniality
Geniality stresses cheerful warmth and good humor, whereas affability stresses being approachable and pleasant to deal with.
amiability
Amiability describes a kind, good-natured character, while affability is more about the manner shown in conversation.
cordiality
Cordiality is warm but a bit formal, as in a greeting, while affability describes a person's general personality.

Opposites

coldnesssurliness

Word family

affable adjective
friendly and easy to talk to
affably adverb
in a friendly, pleasant way
unaffable adjective
not friendly or approachable

Commonly confused: affability or affectation? affability or affinity?

affability vs affectation

Affectation means behavior put on for show and is not the same as natural friendliness.

affability vs affinity

Affinity means a natural liking for or similarity with something, not a friendly manner.

Practice

The new manager's ______ put the nervous staff at ease on her first day.

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