How to Use Amiable or Amicable?

August 6, 2025

5 min read

By Yash, D

Amiable and amicable are adjectives that convey friendly behaviour; the former describes people, the latter applies more to circumstances or occurrences.

Writing Tips

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.

Synonyms, nearby words & word forms

Synonyms for amiable

affable amicable engaging cordial friendly genial good-humoured charming

Synonyms for amicable

amiable civil cordial agreeable amenable courteous polite harmonious

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?

FAQs

Are amiable and amicable the same?
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Based on the post, they both relate to friendly feelings but differ in context. Amiable describes people or things that please, while amicable describes friendly actions or agreements.

When should I use amiable?
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Use “amiable” to describe people as friendly or sociable, or something that pleases. The post gives examples like “He seemed an amiable young man” or “So amiable was the mood…”.

When should I use amicable?
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Use “amicable” for things done or achieved in a friendly way without arguing, like agreements or relations. Examples from the post include “an amicable agreement” or “amicable relations”.

Can amiable describe an agreement?
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No, the post states this is incorrect. Amiable describes people, attitudes, or dispositions, not agreements. An agreement is described as ‘amicable’ if it’s reached in a friendly way.

Can amicable describe a person?
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No, the post indicates this is incorrect usage. “Amicable” describes agreements, relations, or interactions achieved without arguing, not individual people’s personalities.

Sources

“Cordial, N., Adj., & Adv.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/9146373010.

Yash, D. "How to Use Amiable or Amicable?." Grammarflex, Sep 11, 2025, https://grammarflex.com/amicable-or-amiable/.

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