Are amiable and amicable the same?
Amiable and amicable are both adjectives (i.e., describing words), that have to do with pleasant or friendly feelings. The difference conerns the correct contexts in which we use these words:
Amiable describes someone as friendly, engaging, or sociable. It can also describe something that pleases (or has a pleasing affect/quality).
Amicable, by contrast, tends to apply more to situations, when something is, “done or achieved in a polite or friendly way and without arguing”; e.g., “an amicable agreement“. The distinction between them is clearer in practice.
Everyone knew him as an amiable fellow.
They managed to maintain amicable relations even after a messy divorce.
From its usage, you can see how “amicable” describes relations, situations, negotiations, or interactions; whereas “amiable” describes people, attitudes, and dispositions.
“Amiable” / “amicable”, used in sentences
| Word choice: amiable/amicable | Example sentences |
|---|---|
| amiable |
He seemed an amiable young man. So amiable was the mood of the meeting that a decision was soon reached. He was amiable and charming, and he had an ability to make people feel comfortable. |
| amicable |
Despite their disagreement, they parted on amicable terms. An amicable settlement was reached. It was an amicable divorce. |
Quotes from literature and the media
A classic Irish pub with amiable, be-paunched bartenders.
He..asked the mate, in an amiable tone of voice, if he had ‘any (ruddy) noospapers from Sydney’.
That foreign eccentricity to which their nation is so amiable.
Andy appeared to be amiable to the idea.
‘You'd think I ought to let Anne go to the moon if she took the notion, I've no doubt,’ was Marilla's amiable rejoinder.
There was the amicable drink-meister who worked at the bar at Major-Roberts.
It was her supreme happiness to receive amicable little signs of recognition from some of these superior beings.
The goal is to find an amicable solution that the parties to the conflict can live with.
While not entirely amicable, the separation occurred without the children becoming entangled in marital conflict.
Synonyms, nearby words & word forms
Synonyms for amiable
Synonyms for amicable
Word origin (of amicable/amiable)
Early 15c., “pleasant,” from Late Latin amicabilis “friendly,” a word in Roman law, from Latin amicus “friend,” ultimately from amare “to love”.
Late 14c., “kindly, friendly,” also “worthy of love or admiration,” from Old French amiable “pleasant, kind; worthy to be loved” (12c.).
Worksheet: Amicable or amiable?
The two companies reached an ______ agreement to end their partnership.
Everyone liked her because of her ______ personality.
Despite their differences, their conversation remained ______ and respectful.
He greeted everyone with an ______ smile, making people feel welcome.
After the dispute, they managed to settle matters in an ______ manner.
FAQs
Are amiable and amicable the same?
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When should I use amiable?
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When should I use amicable?
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Can amiable describe an agreement?
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Can amicable describe a person?
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Sources
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“Cordial, N., Adj., & Adv.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/9146373010.
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