calm

1 of 3

noun

1
a
: a period or condition of freedom from storms, high winds, or rough activity of water
a sailing ship motionless in the calm
b
: complete absence of wind or presence of wind having a speed no greater than one mile (1.6 kilometers) per hour see Beaufort Scale Table
2
: a state of tranquility
At dusk a quiet calm settled over the town.

calm

2 of 3

verb

calmed; calming; calms

intransitive verb

: to become calm
usually used with down
The mayor asked the protesters to calm down so he could speak.

transitive verb

: to make calm
often used with down
calm him down; get him to be reasonableS. H. Adams

calm

3 of 3

adjective

1
: marked by calm : still
a calm sea
2
: free from agitation, excitement, or disturbance
calmly adverb
calmness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for calm

calm, tranquil, serene, placid, peaceful mean quiet and free from disturbance.

calm often implies a contrast with a foregoing or nearby state of agitation or violence.

the protests ended, and the streets were calm again

tranquil suggests a very deep quietude or composure.

the tranquil beauty of a formal garden

serene stresses an unclouded and lofty tranquility.

watched the sunset of a serene summer's evening

placid suggests an undisturbed appearance and often implies a degree of complacency.

remained placid despite the criticism

peaceful implies a state of repose in contrast with or following strife or turmoil.

grown peaceful in old age

Examples of calm in a Sentence

Noun After two days of violent protests, the mayor appealed for calm. The calm was broken by another terrorist bombing. the calm of a church Police tried to restore calm after the riot. A quiet calm settled over the city. Verb His words were effective in calming her fears. The medicine helped calm her breathing. Adjective The teacher asked us to remain calm after the fire alarm went off. Let's try to have a calm discussion about your grades.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Fassbender is the main reason these episodes work so well: his cold-blooded calm thinly masks a state of crisis. Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2024 Cassidy’s mood changes constantly during their interaction, going from calm to outraged to calm again, per the bodycam video. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
My mother told me the best way to calm down is a Bloody Mary. Julie Jordan, People.com, 30 Nov. 2024 The fervor for all things related to artificial intelligence that fueled much of their rally has started to calm down. Royce Branning, Fortune, 30 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Statewide calm weather to end holiday weekend Sunday in Flagstaff was expected to see a high of 54 degrees along with mostly sunny skies before a nightly low of 14 degrees, according to the weather service. Rey Covarrubias Jr., The Arizona Republic, 1 Dec. 2024 Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 1 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for calm 

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Verb, and Adjective

Middle English calme, probably ultimately from Old Spanish calma, from Late Latin cauma heat, from Greek kauma, from kaiein to burn

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of calm was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near calm

Cite this Entry

“Calm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calm. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

calm

1 of 3 noun
1
a
: a period or state of freedom from storm, wind, or rough water
b
: complete lack of wind or the presence of wind of no more than one mile (1.6 kilometers) per hour
2
: a state of freedom from excitement or disturbance : peacefulness

calm

2 of 3 verb
: to make or become calm

calm

3 of 3 adjective
1
: marked by calm : still
a calm sea
2
: free from excitement or disturbance
a calm manner
calmly adverb
calmness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on calm

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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