bland

• POS: Adjective, Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

bland, a. [L. blandus, of unknown origin.].

•  Mild; soft; gentle; smooth and soothing in manner; suave; as, a bland temper; bland persuasion; a bland sycophant.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]
•  Having soft and soothing qualities; not drastic or irritating; not stimulating; as, a bland oil; a bland diet.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

bland, adj.
1 a mild, not irritating. b tasteless, unstimulating, insipid.
2 gentle in manner; suave.

Derivative

blandly adv. blandness n.

Etymology

L blandus soft, smooth

THESAURUS

bland

abstract, adulatory, balmy, banal, bare, barren, blah, blandishing, blank, blarneying, bleached, boring, broad, buttery, cajoling, calm, changeable, characterless, civilized, clear, collective, complimentary, composed, cool, courtierly, courtly, devoid, disarming, dull, empty, faint, fair-spoken, fawning, featureless, fine-spoken, flat, flattering, fulsome, general, generalized, generic, gentle, glib, good-natured, gushing, halfhearted, hollow, honey-mouthed, honey-tongued, honeyed, inane, indecisive, indefinite, indeterminate, infirm of purpose, infirm of will, ingratiating, insincere, insinuating, insipid, insouciant, irresolute, judicious, lenient, mealymouthed, mild, mild as milk, milk-and-water, milky, moderate, mushy, namby-pamby, nebulous, neutral, nonchalant, nonspecific, nonviolent, null, null and void, obsequious, oily, oily-tongued, pacifistic, peaceable, peaceful, prudent, sapless, slimy, slobbery, smarmy, smooth, smooth-spoken, smooth-tongued, smug, soapy, sober, soft, soft-soaping, soft-spoken, soothing, suave, suave-spoken, sycophantic, tame, tasteless, temperate, uncharacterized, unctuous, undifferentiated, unemotional, uninteresting, unrelieved, unruffled, unspecified, urbane, vacant, vacuous, vague, vapid, void, waterish, watery, wheedling, white, wide, wishy-washy, with nothing inside, without content

ROGET THESAURUS

bland

Feebleness

N feebleness, feeble, bald, tame, meager, jejune, vapid, bland, trashy, lukewarm, cold, frigid, poor, dull, dry, languid, colorless, enervated, proposing, prosy, prosaic, unvaried, monotonous, weak, washy, wishy- washy, sketchy, slight, careless, slovenly, loose, lax (negligent), slipshod, slipslop, inexact, puerile, childish, flatulent, rambling.

Moderation

N moderation, lenity, temperateness, gentleness, sobriety, quiet, mental calmness, moderating, anaphrodisia, relaxation, remission, mitigation, tranquilization, assuagement, contemporation, pacification, measure, juste milieu, golden mean, ariston metron, moderator, lullaby, sedative, lenitive, demulcent, antispasmodic, carminative, laudanum, rose water, balm, poppy, opiate, anodyne, milk, opium, poppy or mandragora, wet blanket, palliative, moderate, lenient, gentle, mild, mellow, cool, sober, temperate, reasonable, measured, tempered, calm, unruffled, quiet, tranquil, still, slow, smooth, untroubled, tame, peaceful, peaceable, pacific, halcyon, unexciting, unirritating, soft, bland, oily, demulcent, lenitive, anodyne, hypnotic, sedative, antiorgastic, anaphrodisiac, mild as mother's milk, milk and water, moderately, gingerly, piano, under easy sail, at half speed, within bounds, within compass, in reason, est modue in rebus, pour oil on troubled waters.

Courtesy

N courtesy, respect, good manners, good behavior, good breeding, manners, politeness, bienseance, urbanity, comity, gentility, breeding, polish, presence, civility, civilization, amenity, suavity, good temper, good humor, amiability, easy temper, complacency, soft tongue, mansuetude, condescension, affability, complaisance, pr_evenance, amability, gallantry, pink of politeness, pink of courtesy, compliment, fair words, soft words, sweet words, honeyed phrases, ceremonial salutation, reception, presentation, introduction, accueil, greeting, recognition, welcome, abord, respects, devoir, regards, remembrances, kind regards, kind remembrances, love, best love, duty, empty encomium, flattering remark, hollow commendation, salaams, obeisance, bow, courtesy, curtsy, scrape, salaam, kotow, kowtow, bowing and scraping, kneeling, genuflection, obsequiousness, capping, shaking hands grip of the hand, embrace, hug, squeeze, accolade, loving cup, vin d'honneur, pledge, love token, kiss, buss, salute, mark of recognition, nod, nods and becks and wreathed smiles, valediction, condolence, courteous, polite, civil, mannerly, urbane, well-behaved, well- mannered, well-bred, well-brought up, good-mannered, polished, civilized, cultivated, refined, gentlemanlike, gallant, on one's good behavior, fine spoken, fair spoken, soft-spoken, honey-mouthed, honey- tongued, oily, bland, obliging, conciliatory, complaisant, complacent, obsequious, ingratiating, winning, gentle, mild, good-humored, cordial, gracious, affable, familiar, neighborly, diplomatic, tactful, politic, artful, courteously, with a good grace, with open arms, with outstretched arms, a bras ouverts, suaviter in modo, in good humor, Int, hail!, welcome!, well met!, ave!, all hail!, good day, good morrow!, Godspeed!, pax vobiscum!, may your shadow never be less!, Tien de plus estimable que la ceremonie, the very pink of courtesy.

Insipidity

N insipidity, blandness, tastelessness, bland, void of taste, insipid, tasteless, gustless, savorless, ingustible, mawkish, milk and water, weak, stale, flat, vapid, fade, wishy-washy, mild, untasted.