Entry Word: peaceful

Function: adjective

Meaning: 1 inclined to live in peace and to avoid war <a peaceful tribe that had quietly inhabited these shores for centuries before the arrival of the Europeans>

Synonyms pacific, peaceable

Related Words calm, mild, neutral, quiet, relaxed, serene, tranquil; affable, amiable, amicable, benevolent, gentle, kind, kindly; nonbelligerent, unaggressive; submissive, yielding

Near Antonyms militaristic; aggressive, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, discordant, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent; antagonistic, argumentative, fierce, gladiatorial, hostile, hot-tempered

Antonyms warlike

2 not involving violence or force <UN officials struggled to find a peaceful solution to the troublesome conflict>

Synonyms nonviolent, peaceable

Related Words conciliatory, pacific, peacemaking; nonbelligerent, unaggressive, unassertive; appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, pacifying, placating; calming, quieting, soothing

Near Antonyms armed, martial, militant, military, warlike; aggressive, assertive, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, quarrelsome; antagonistic, argumentative, fierce, gladiatorial, hostile; tempestuous, volcanic

Antonyms forced, violent

3 free from disturbing noise or uproar <a peaceful house, now that the kids are all grown and departed> — see quiet 1
4 free from storms or physical disturbance <a peaceful lake> — see calm 1