Comity
What it means
Mutual courtesy and goodwill between people, groups, or institutions.
Reach for it when naming civil relations that allow cooperation despite differences
The councils restored comity by publishing the disputed records together.
Words to choose between 6
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal |
|
| literary |
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everyday
mutual respect
Fits when reciprocal regard should be explicit
Careful Respect can coexist with strained relations and little goodwill.
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warm
Fits when friendly intention supports better relations
Careful Goodwill is an attitude and may exist without reciprocal courtesy.
-
warm
Fits when relations proceed without noticeable discord
Careful Harmony suggests deeper agreement than comity requires.
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professional
Fits when respectful conduct continues despite disagreement
Careful Civility can be one-sided and emotionally cold.
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formal
Fits when polite consideration governs interaction
Careful Courtesy may be conventional and need not be mutual or sincere.
-
literary
Fits when peaceful friendship between groups suits elevated prose
Careful Amity is warmer and closer to friendship than institutional comity.
Opposites 3
- hostility
- discord
- acrimony
Common phrases 3
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international comity
International comity supported cooperation without creating a binding treaty.
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spirit of comity
The hearing proceeded in a spirit of comity and firm disagreement.
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restore comity
A joint correction helped restore comity between the two boards.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
In law, comity can refer specifically to one jurisdiction recognizing another's acts; this page is about the broader goodwill sense.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Naomi Persephone Amethyst, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated