Amiable vs. Amicable: What's the Difference?
While both amiable and amicable are positive terms often associated with friendly behaviors and interactions, they are distinctly different in their usage. Amiable is an adjective that refers to someone's pleasant and likeable personality, highlighting an individual's nature. Amicable, on the other hand, describes the absence of hostility, especially in situations such as agreements or negotiations, and refers to the spirit of the interaction between parties.
How do you use the word amiable in a sentence?
The word amiable is typically used when describing a person or their character traits. It is used to express warmth, friendliness, and a tendency to be pleasant in social situations. You might use amiable to describe someone whom others find easy to get along with due to their good nature.
Examples of amiable in a sentence
- Her amiable disposition made her well-liked among her colleagues.
- He was known for his amiable manner, always greeting everyone with a cheerful smile.
- The amiable host made sure all her guests felt comfortable and welcomed.
How do you use the word amicable in a sentence?
Amicable is used to describe interactions or situations that are friendly and devoid of conflict. This word is commonly utilized in legal and relational contexts where it's important to communicate a sense of cooperation and agreement without negativity or contention.
Examples of amicable in a sentence
- The two companies reached an amicable settlement out of court.
- Despite their differences, they managed to end their partnership on amicable terms.
- After a lengthy discussion, the decision was made in an amicable manner.
Amiable and amicable definition, parts of speech, and pronunciation
Amiable definition:
Amiable is defined as having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner. It is often used to describe individuals known for their geniality.
Amiable parts of speech:
Amiable pronunciation:
Amiable is pronounced as 'ay-mee-uh-buhl'.
Amicable definition:
Amicable means having a spirit of friendliness, often used to describe actions or agreements free from acrimony or bitterness.
Amicable parts of speech:
Amicable pronunciation:
Amicable is pronounced as 'am-i-kuh-buhl'.
Amiable is defined as having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner. It is often used to describe individuals known for their geniality.
Amiable parts of speech:
- Adjective: She has an amiable nature that makes her a joy to work with.
Amiable pronunciation:
Amiable is pronounced as 'ay-mee-uh-buhl'.
Amicable definition:
Amicable means having a spirit of friendliness, often used to describe actions or agreements free from acrimony or bitterness.
Amicable parts of speech:
- Adjective: The amicable negotiations resulted in a mutually beneficial agreement.
Amicable pronunciation:
Amicable is pronounced as 'am-i-kuh-buhl'.
Amiable vs. Amicable in a nutshell
Amiable and amicable are both adjectives describing positive attributes, but they are not interchangeable. Amiable relates to an individual's pleasant and likeable personality traits. In contrast, amicable characterizes non-hostile, cooperative interactions or agreements, particularly in potentially confrontational contexts. Understanding the nuances between amiable and amicable can help convey precise sentiments in both social and formal communications.
Get AI Writing Assistance Wherever You Type
Make sure your vocabulary is on point and every punctuation mark is in the right place, no matter where you’re working. Grammarly works across more than 500,000 websites and apps so you can improve your writing without copying, pasting, or breaking focused.
More Commonly Confused Words
Interest piqued? Pore (not pour) over other commonly confused words to help your writing reach peak (not peek) performance.