still

1 of 2

verb (1)

stilled; stilling; stills

intransitive verb

: to become motionless or silent : quiet

transitive verb

1

a

: allay, calm

stilled their nerves

b

: to put an end to : settle

The report has not stilled debate.

2

: to arrest the motion of

rivers stilled by dams

3

: silence

still

2 of 2

verb (2)

stilled; stilling; stills

: distill

Synonyms of still

Verb (1)

• stop
• halt
• catch
• stall
• stay
• check

Examples of still in a Sentence

Verb (1)

it seemed as though nothing could still the fighting

reading a book helps me to relax and still my mind before going to bed

the conversation was abruptly stilled by a loud crash from the next room

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

My limbs stilled and grew heavy in the heat, but Alice jiggled her knees up and down, bursting out with short spurts of conversation that weighed against the beauty of our silence. —Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026

Finally, deep reading is a stilling exercise. —Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026

Hostilities were temporarily stilled by a ceasefire, but fighting resumed in early December. —John Vink, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026

Suddenly, the noise in their home stilled. —Ryan Oehrli updated February 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (2)

Middle English stillen, short for distillen to distill

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Verb (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing still

• pot still
• sit still
• still alarm
• still and all
• still-hunt
• still less
• still life
• still photograph
• still water
• still waters run deep
• stock-still
• the still of the night

Rhymes for still

• bill
• brill
• chill
• drill
• fil
• fill
• frill
• gill
• grill
• grille
• jill
• kill

Kids Definition

still

1 of 5 adjective

ˈstil 

1

a

: not moving

lying quiet and still

b

: of, relating to, or being an ordinary photograph rather than a motion picture

2

: uttering no sound : quiet

3

a

: tranquil, calm

b

: free from noise or commotion : peaceful

stillness noun

still

2 of 5 verb

1

a

: to make quiet : calm

still their fears

b

: to put to an end : settle

2

: to make or become motionless or silent : quiet

still

3 of 5 adverb

1

: without motion

sit still

2

: up to this or that time

still lives there

while it's still hot

3

: in spite of that : nevertheless

those who take care can still make mistakes

4

a

: even entry 3 sense 4

a still more difficult problem

b

: beyond this : in addition, yet

won still another tournament

still

4 of 5 noun

1

: quiet entry 1, silence

2

: a still photograph

still

5 of 5 noun

1

: distillery

2

: a device used in distillation

Etymology

Adjective

Old English stille "not moving"

Noun

from earlier still (verb) "to distill," from Middle English stillen, a shortened form of distillen "to distill"