Good-natured
adj.kind, joyfulwarm
What it means
Habitually kind, cheerful, and patient with other people.
Reach for it when praising an easy, benevolent temperament rather than one isolated act
The good-natured coach laughed at his own mistake and reset the drill.
Choose between these
8- playful
a bright disposition should feel vivid and informal
not when Sunny may erase real seriousness or sadness from a rounded description.
- everyday
the person remains relaxed and undemanding
not when Easygoing may imply a lack of standards or urgency.
- warm
gentleness under irritation is what you want to praise
not when It can sound patronizing when applied to an adult colleague.
- warm
affection and sympathy are central to the character
not when It does not specifically convey patience or humor.
- professional
someone is easy to talk to, including across status differences
not when Affable describes social ease, not necessarily kindness under strain.
- formal
a pleasant and agreeable disposition deserves polished praise
not when Amiable is cooler and says less about cheerful patience.
- formal
friendly cheer makes social settings pleasant
not when Genial can describe a host's manner without proving lasting character.
- literary
gentle goodwill shows in someone's manner
not when Kindly can sound older and quieter than good-natured cheer.
Said against
3- ill-natured
- quarrelsome
- mean-spirited
It naturally appears in
3- good-natured person
A good-natured person, Ina made newcomers comfortable without forcing conversation.
- good-natured teasing
Their good-natured teasing stopped as soon as the joke felt uncomfortable.
- good-natured smile
He answered the unexpected request with a good-natured smile.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English adjective sense: naturally kind and pleasant opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.