Grace vs. Style — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 27, 2024
Grace refers to elegance and fluidity in movement or expression, whereas style pertains to an individual’s distinctive manner of expression or appearance.
Difference Between Grace and Style
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Grace is often associated with smoothness and ease in movements or behavior, reflecting poise and politeness. Style, on the other hand, emphasizes a unique and identifiable mode of doing things, whether it's in fashion, writing, or speech.
Grace is inherent and can be seen in the natural flow of actions and interactions, conveying a sense of calm and balance. Whereas style is cultivated, shaped by personal choices, cultural influences, and individual experiences.
In the context of social interactions, grace is shown through courteous actions, sensitivity to others, and a diplomatic use of language. Style, meanwhile, is displayed through personal flair and the distinct way one might communicate or behave.
Grace is often observed in the arts, such as ballet or figure skating, where movement is executed with precision and fluidity. Style is more apparent in personal attire and the arts, where it manifests as a reflection of personal or cultural identity.
When considering their impact, grace often leaves an impression of refinement and respectability, while style makes a statement about the person’s identity and their creative or aesthetic sensibilities.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Elegance and fluidity in actions or manners
Distinctive manner or appearance
Focus
Inherent qualities
Personal or cultural expression
Manifestation
Natural, effortless movement
Personal choices and tastes
Key Domains
Social interactions, arts
Fashion, arts, personal expression
Impression Left
Refinement, respectability
Identity, creativity
Compare with Definitions
Grace
Elegance or beauty of form, manner, or motion.
Her dance was characterized by a rare grace.
Style
A manner of doing something.
The author’s style is complex and ornate.
Grace
A pleasing or attractive quality.
He handled the delicate situation with grace.
Style
A way of painting, writing, composing, building, etc., characteristic of a particular period, place, person, or movement.
The artist adopted an impressionistic style later in his career.
Grace
A manifestation of favor, especially by a superior.
She thanked her mentor for his grace in supporting her education.
Style
A distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed.
The building’s style is modernist.
Grace
Mercy or pardon.
The king granted grace to the rebel.
Style
A mode of living.
He enjoys a style of living that includes extensive travel.
Grace
A short prayer said before or after a meal.
Let’s say grace before we eat.
Style
Elegance and sophistication.
She dressed with style for the gala.
Grace
Seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion.
Style
A particular procedure by which something is done; a manner or way
Different styles of management
Grace
A characteristic or quality pleasing for its charm or refinement.
Style
A distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed
The pillars are no exception to the general style
Grace
A sense of fitness or propriety.
Style
Fashionable elegance and sophistication
The world-famous hotel attracts guests because of its style and taste
Grace
A disposition to be generous or helpful; goodwill.
Style
(in a flower) a narrow, typically elongated extension of the ovary, bearing the stigma.
Grace
Mercy; clemency.
Style
(in an invertebrate) a small, slender pointed appendage; a stylet.
Grace
A favor rendered by one who need not do so; indulgence.
Style
Archaic term for stylus (sense 2)
Grace
A temporary immunity or exemption; a reprieve.
Style
Design or make in a particular form
The yacht is well proportioned and conservatively styled
Grace
Graces Greek & Roman Mythology Three sister goddesses, known in Greek mythology as Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia, who dispense charm and beauty.
Style
Designate with a particular name, description, or title
The official is styled principal and vice chancellor of the university
Grace
Divine favor bestowed freely on people, as in granting redemption from sin.
Style
The way in which something is said, done, expressed, or performed
A style of teaching.
Grace
The state of having received such favor.
Style
The combination of distinctive features of literary or artistic expression, execution, or performance characterizing a particular person, group, school, or era.
Grace
An excellence or power granted by God.
Style
Sort; type
A style of furniture.
Grace
A short prayer of blessing or thanksgiving said before or after a meal.
Style
A quality of imagination and individuality expressed in one's actions and tastes
Does things with style.
Grace
Grace Used with His, Her, or Your as a title and form of address for a duke, duchess, or archbishop.
Style
A comfortable and elegant mode of existence
Living in style.
Grace
(Music) An appoggiatura, trill, or other musical ornament in the music of 16th and 17th century England.
Style
A mode of living
The style of the very rich.
Grace
To honor or favor
You grace our table with your presence.
Style
The fashion of the moment, especially of dress; vogue
Clothes that are in style.
Grace
To give beauty, elegance, or charm to.
Style
A particular fashion
The style of the 1920s.
Grace
(Music) To embellish with grace notes.
Style
A customary manner of presenting printed material, including usage, punctuation, spelling, typography, and arrangement
A manual of style.
Grace
Charming, pleasing qualities.
The Princess brought grace to an otherwise dull and boring party.
Style
A name or title
Businesses under the style of Wilson and Webber.
Grace
(countable) A short prayer of thanks before or after a meal.
It has become less common to say grace before having dinner.
Style
An implement used for etching or engraving.
Grace
In the games of patience or solitaire: a special move that is normally against the rules.
Style
A slender pointed writing instrument used by the ancients on wax tablets.
Grace
A grace note.
Style
The needle of a phonograph.
Grace
(uncountable) Elegant movement; balance or poise.
The dancer moved with grace and strength.
Style
The gnomon of a sundial.
Grace
An allowance of time granted to a debtor during which he or she is free of at least part of his normal obligations towards the creditor.
The repayment of the loan starts after a three-year grace.
Style
(Botany) The usually slender part of a pistil, connecting the ovary and the stigma.
Grace
Free and undeserved favour, especially of God; unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification, or for resisting sin.
Style
(Zoology) A slender, tubular, or bristlelike process
A cartilaginous style.
Grace
An act or decree of the governing body of an English university.
Style
(Medicine) A surgical probing instrument; a stylet.
Grace
(transitive) To adorn; to decorate; to embellish and dignify.
He graced the room with his presence.
He graced the room by simply being there.
His portrait graced a landing on the stairway.
Style
(Obsolete) A pen.
Grace
(transitive) To dignify or raise by an act of favour; to honour.
Style
To design or fashion in a certain way
Styled the new model after the classic sports cars.
Grace
(transitive) To supply with heavenly grace.
Style
To arrange (hair) in a certain way, as by cutting, coloring, or curling.
Grace
To add grace notes, cadenzas, etc., to.
Style
To call or name; designate
George VI styled his brother Duke of Windsor.
Grace
The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred.
To bow and sue for graceWith suppliant knee.
Style
To make consistent with rules of style
Style a manuscript.
Grace
The divine favor toward man; the mercy of God, as distinguished from His justice; also, any benefits His mercy imparts; divine love or pardon; a state of acceptance with God; enjoyment of the divine favor.
And if by grace, then is it no more of works.
My grace is sufficicnt for thee.
Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.
Style
Senses relating to a thin, pointed object.
Grace
The prerogative of mercy execised by the executive, as pardon.
Style
(historical) A sharp stick used for writing on clay tablets or other surfaces; a stylus; an instrument used to write with ink; a pen.
Grace
Fortune; luck; - used commonly with hard or sorry when it means misfortune.
Style
A tool with a sharp point used in engraving; a burin, a graver, a stylet, a stylus.
Grace
Inherent excellence; any endowment or characteristic fitted to win favor or confer pleasure or benefit.
He is complete in feature and in mind.With all good grace to grace a gentleman.
I have formerly given the general character of Mr. Addison's style and manner as natural and unaffected, easy and polite, and full of those graces which a flowery imagination diffuses over writing.
Style
The gnomon or pin of a sundial, the shadow of which indicates the hour.
Grace
Beauty, physical, intellectual, or moral; loveliness; commonly, easy elegance of manners; perfection of form.
Grace in women gains the affections sooner, and secures them longer, than any thing else.
I shall answer and thank you again For the gift and the grace of the gift.
Style
(botany) The stalk that connects the stigma(s) to the ovary in a pistil of a flower.
Grace
Graceful and beautiful females, sister goddesses, represented by ancient writers as the attendants sometimes of Apollo but oftener of Venus. They were commonly mentioned as three in number; namely, Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia, and were regarded as the inspirers of the qualities which give attractiveness to wisdom, love, and social intercourse.
The Graces love to weave the rose.
The Loves delighted, and the Graces played.
Style
(surgery) A kind of surgical instrument with a blunt point, used for exploration.
Grace
The title of a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop, and formerly of the king of England.
How fares your Grace !
Style
(zoology) A small, thin, pointed body part.
Grace
Thanks.
Yielding graces and thankings to their lord Melibeus.
Style
(by extension from sense 1.1) A particular manner of expression in writing or speech, especially one regarded as good.
Grace
A petition for grace; a blessing asked, or thanks rendered, before or after a meal.
Style
A legal or traditional term or formula of words used to address or refer to a person, especially a monarch or a person holding a post or having a title.
Monarchs are often addressed with the style of Majesty.
Grace
Ornamental notes or short passages, either introduced by the performer, or indicated by the composer, in which case the notation signs are called grace notes, appeggiaturas, turns, etc.
Style
A particular manner of creating, doing, or presenting something, especially a work of architecture or art.
Grace
An act, vote, or decree of the government of the institution; a degree or privilege conferred by such vote or decree.
Style
A particular manner of acting or behaving; (specifically) one regarded as fashionable or skilful; flair, grace.
As a dancer, he has a lot of style.
Backstabbing people is not my style.
Grace
A play designed to promote or display grace of motion. It consists in throwing a small hoop from one player to another, by means of two sticks in the hands of each. Called also grace hoop or hoops.
That day of grace fleets fast away.
The grace cup follows to his sovereign's health.
To [Queen Margaret, of Scotland] . . . we owe the custom of the grace drink, she having established it as a rule at her table, that whosoever staid till grace was said was rewarded with a bumper.
Content to do the profession some grace.
What might have been done with a good grace would at leastbe done with a bad grace.
Style
A particular way in which one grooms, adorns, dresses, or carries oneself; (specifically) a way thought to be attractive or fashionable.
Grace
To adorn; to decorate; to embellish and dignify.
Great Jove and Phoebus graced his noble line.
We are graced with wreaths of victory.
Style
(computing) A visual or other modification to text or other elements of a document, such as boldface or italics.
Applying styles to text in a wordprocessor
Cascading Style Sheets
Grace
To dignify or raise by an act of favor; to honor.
He might, at his pleasure, grace or disgrace whom he wouldin court.
Style
A set of rules regarding the presentation of text (spelling, typography, the citation of references, etc.) and illustrations that is applied by a publisher to the works it produces.
The house style of the journal
Grace
To supply with heavenly grace.
Style
(transitive) To design, fashion, make, or arrange in a certain way or form (style)
Grace
To add grace notes, cadenzas, etc., to.
Style
To call or give a name or title to.
Grace
(Bhristian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who under such divine influence;
The conception of grace developed alongside the conception of sin
It was debated whether saving grace could be obtained outside the membership of the church
The Virgin lived in a state of grace
Style
To create for, or give to, someone a style, fashion, or image, particularly one which is regarded as attractive, tasteful, or trendy.
Grace
Elegance and beauty of movement or expression
Style
To act in a way which seeks to show that one possesses style.
Grace
A sense of propriety and consideration for others
Style
An instrument used by the ancients in writing on tablets covered with wax, having one of its ends sharp, and the other blunt, and somewhat expanded, for the purpose of making erasures by smoothing the wax.
Grace
A disposition to kindness and compassion; benign good will;
The victor's grace in treating the vanquished
Style
Hence, anything resembling the ancient style in shape or use.
Grace
(Greek mythology) one of three sisters who were the givers of beauty and charm; a favorite subject for sculptors
Style
A pen; an author's pen.
Grace
A short prayer of thanks before a meal
Style
Mode of expressing thought in language, whether oral or written; especially, such use of language in the expression of thought as exhibits the spirit and faculty of an artist; choice or arrangement of words in discourse; rhetorical expression.
High style, as when that men to kinges write.
Style is the dress of thoughts.
Proper words in proper places make the true definition of style.
It is style alone by which posterity will judge of a great work.
Grace
(Christian theology) the free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God;
God's grace is manifested in the salvation of sinners
There but for the grace of God go I
Style
A sharp-pointed tool used in engraving; a graver.
Grace
Make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.;
Decorate the room for the party
Beautify yourself for the special day
Style
Mode of presentation, especially in music or any of the fine arts; a characteristic of peculiar mode of developing in idea or accomplishing a result.
The ornamental style also possesses its own peculiar merit.
Grace
Be beautiful to look at;
Flowers adorned the tables everywhere
Style
A kind of blunt-pointed surgical instrument.
Style
Conformity to a recognized standard; manner which is deemed elegant and appropriate, especially in social demeanor; fashion.
According to the usual style of dedications.
Style
A long, slender, bristlelike process, as the anal styles of insects.
Style
Mode or phrase by which anything is formally designated; the title; the official designation of any important body; mode of address; as, the style of Majesty.
One style to a gracious benefactor, another to a proud, insulting foe.
Style
The pin, or gnomon, of a dial, the shadow of which indicates the hour. See Gnomon.
Style
A mode of reckoning time, with regard to the Julian and Gregorian calendars.
Style
The elongated part of a pistil between the ovary and the stigma. See Illust. of Stamen, and of Pistil.
Style
To entitle; to term, name, or call; to denominate.
How well his worth and brave adventures styled.
Style
A particular kind (as to appearance);
This style of shoe is in demand
Style
How something is done or how it happens;
Her dignified manner
His rapid manner of talking
Their nomadic mode of existence
In the characteristic New York style
A lonely way of life
In an abrasive fashion
Style
A way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person or group of people or period;
All the reporters were expected to adopt the style of the newspaper
Style
Distinctive and stylish elegance;
He wooed her with the confident dash of a cavalry officer
Style
The popular taste at a given time;
Leather is the latest vogue
He followed current trends
The 1920s had a style of their own
Style
(botany) the narrow elongated part of the pistil between the ovary and the stigma
Style
Editorial directions to be followed in spelling and punctuation and capitalization and typographical display
Style
A pointed tool for writing or drawing or engraving;
He drew the design on the stencil with a steel stylus
Style
A slender bristlelike or tubular process;
A cartilaginous style
Style
Designate by an identifying term;
They styled their nation `The Confederate States'
Style
Make consistent with a certain fashion or style;
Style my hair
Style the dress
Style
Make consistent with certain rules of style;
Style a manuscript
Common Curiosities
How does style influence public perception?
Style significantly influences public perception by showcasing an individual's creativity, personality, and cultural background.
How does style reflect personal identity?
Style reflects personal identity through distinctive choices in fashion, speech, and behavior that align with one's tastes and cultural background.
What is the essence of grace in social settings?
Grace in social settings manifests as politeness, sensitivity, and a smooth, respectful interaction.
What roles do grace and style play in professional environments?
In professional environments, grace aids in maintaining decorum and fostering respectful interactions, while style can help in expressing individuality and professionalism.
Is style limited to visual arts and fashion?
No, style extends beyond visual arts and fashion to include ways of speaking, writing, and even thinking.
How do grace and style impact first impressions?
Grace and style heavily influence first impressions by conveying elegance, professionalism, or personal identity.
Can grace be learned or is it innate?
While some aspects of grace may be innate, many elements such as etiquette and poised behavior can be learned and refined.
How is grace maintained under pressure?
Maintaining grace under pressure involves calm, poised reactions and mindful communication, often reflecting deep emotional intelligence.
How does fashion play into style?
Fashion is a primary avenue for expressing style, with choices in clothing and accessories reflecting personal and cultural tastes.
Can style evolve over time?
Style often evolves over time as individuals experiment with different influences and mature in their personal and artistic expressions.
What is the importance of understanding both grace and style in cross-cultural contexts?
Understanding both grace and style in cross-cultural contexts is essential for respectful, effective communication and appreciating diverse aesthetic values.
Are there any cultures known particularly for their emphasis on grace?
Many East Asian cultures, like Japan and Korea, are known for their emphasis on grace in traditional arts and etiquette.
Can someone possess grace but lack style, or vice versa?
Yes, it’s possible to possess grace without a distinctive style, or have a notable style but lack gracefulness.
How do different art forms utilize style?
Different art forms utilize style to convey unique perspectives and cultural narratives, ranging from visual techniques to thematic elements.
What is the relationship between grace and diplomacy?
Grace plays a crucial role in diplomacy, where smooth, respectful communication is essential for effective interactions.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.