Meaning & use
urbane
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Meaning
adjectivecomparableformalapproving
Having smooth, relaxed, polite manners and an air of worldly experience, especially in company.
Grammar: Can be used before a noun or after 'be': an urbane host; he is urbane.
Patterns
- urbane in something
The urbane host welcomed each guest with a quiet joke.
He was urbane even when the meeting turned tense.
She had an urbane charm that made strangers feel at ease.
Word forms
| comparative | more urbane |
|---|---|
| superlative | most urbane |
Common combinations
- urbane manner
- His urbane manner put everyone at ease.
- urbane wit
- The columnist is known for urbane wit.
- urbane and charming
- The ambassador was urbane and charming.
- urbane host
- As an urbane host, he never let a glass stay empty.
- urbane tone
- She answered in an urbane tone.
Synonyms and how they differ
- suave
- Suave can suggest slickness or insincerity, while urbane suggests genuine polish and culture.
- polished
- Polished is plainer and can describe skills or performance, whereas urbane is about social manner.
- sophisticated
- Sophisticated also covers taste and complexity, but urbane refers specifically to smooth courtesy.
- debonair
- Debonair stresses carefree, stylish charm, often of a man, and is more old-fashioned.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: urbane or urban?
urbane vs urban
Urban means of a city, while urbane means smooth in manner; the two share a Latin root but different meanings.
Practice
The diplomat was known for his ___ manner and quiet humor.
Choose one answer.
Urbane describes polished, courteous manner. Urban only describes a city, so it cannot describe manner.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “urbane”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.