Gentle and Genteel are often mixed up. Gentle (adjective) means Having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character, while Genteel (adjective) means Characterized by exaggerated or affected politeness, refinement, or respectability.
Meaning: Having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character.
Synonyms: Kind, Tender, Benign, Humane, Lenient, Merciful, Forgiving.
Example: The mother was speaking to her son in a gentle voice, trying to calm him down.
Meaning: Characterized by exaggerated or affected politeness, refinement, or respectability.
Synonyms: Refined, Respectable, Polished, Decorous, Polite, Well Mannered.
Example: Beth’s parents sent her to a finishing school so she would learn how to become a genteel young woman.
