Synonyms of sedate

sedate 1 of 2

adjective

si-ˈdāt 

1

as in solemn

not joking or playful in mood or manner

while not exactly cold, the doctor does maintain a sedate and purely professional demeanor with his patients

Synonyms & Similar Words

• solemn
• serious
• stern
• staid
• earnest
• sober
• unsmiling
• humorless
• professional
• distinguished
• severe
• harsh
• po-faced
• strict
• no-nonsense
• uncomic
• weighty
• grave
• sobersided
• businesslike
• dignified
• grim
• serious-minded
• gloomy
• elevated

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• playful
• humorous
• jocular
• flippant
• kittenish
• facetious
• joking
• flip
• light
• riotous
• funny
• comical
• ludic
• droll
• comic
• hysterical
• ridiculous
• hysteric
• farcical
• ludicrous
• hilarious
• antic
• lighthearted
• laughable
• uproarious
• screaming
• frivolous
• risible
• goofy
• jesting
• flighty
• puerile
• scatterbrained
• foolish
• insane
• mad
• harebrained
• zany
• unwise
• silly
• absurd
• balmy
• nutty
• crazy
• wacky
• preposterous
• whacky
• daffy
• jerky
• light-headed
• brainless
• kooky
• sidesplitting
• cockeyed
• loony
• witless
• fatuous
• senseless
• cuckoo
• sappy
• nonsensical
• featherbrained
• daft
• asinine
• dotty
• screwball
• weak-minded
• looney
• half-witted
• kookie

2

as in calm

free from emotional or mental agitation

her expression remained sedate as I told her the bad news

Synonyms & Similar Words

• calm
• serene
• peaceful
• composed
• tranquil
• placid
• collected
• smooth
• unperturbed
• unruffled
• possessed
• undisturbed
• steady
• at peace
• unworried
• confident
• cool
• mellow
• untroubled
• limpid
• level
• relaxed
• recollected
• centered
• together
• self-possessed
• unshaken
• nonchalant
• relieved
• coolheaded
• equal
• self-composed
• imperturbable
• well-balanced
• detached
• unflappable
• equable
• easygoing
• carefree
• sober
• nerveless
• tranquillized
• disciplined
• even-keeled
• dispassionate
• phlegmatic
• tranquilized
• breezy
• affable
• laid-back
• aloof
• unconcerned
• even
• unshakable
• stolid
• well-adjusted
• assured
• bovine
• indifferent
• self-contained
• impassive
• self-controlled
• happy-go-lucky
• loosey-goosey
• self-assured
• devil-may-care

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• upset
• agitated
• disturbed
• perturbed
• anxious
• distressed
• bothered
• uneasy
• unstrung
• nervous
• worried
• unsettled
• restless
• flustered
• discomposed
• tense
• unquiet
• jittery
• unhinged
• jumpy
• skittish
• unglued
• unstable
• uptight
• high-strung

sedate

2 of 2

verb

as in to narcotize

Related Words

• narcotize
• relax
• relieve
• mitigate
• alleviate
• stupefy
• allay
• ease
• quell
• assuage
• solace
• pacify
• placate
• calm
• lay
• mollify
• appease
• quiet
• hush
• conciliate
• lull
• soothe
• tranquilize
• tranquillize
• compose
• quieten
• salve
• still
• settle
• becalm
• lullaby

Dissimilar Words

• disturb
• upset
• perturb
• agitate
• vex
• intensify
• heighten
• aggravate
• discompose
• disquiet
• key (up)
• stir (up)
• rouse
• excite
• arouse
• incite
• work up
• foment

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sedate different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of sedate are earnest, grave, serious, sober, solemn, and staid. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

When might earnest be a better fit than sedate?

While in some cases nearly identical to sedate, earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

In what contexts can grave take the place of sedate?

The words grave and sedate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

Where would serious be a reasonable alternative to sedate?

The synonyms serious and sedate are sometimes interchangeable, but serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

When could sober be used to replace sedate?

In some situations, the words sober and sedate are roughly equivalent. However, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When would solemn be a good substitute for sedate?

The meanings of solemn and sedate largely overlap; however, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

When is staid a more appropriate choice than sedate?

While the synonyms staid and sedate are close in meaning, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sedate

Adjective

Returning for the dogs Deeming the animals too aggressive to capture safely, police and KC Pet Project left the scene that night with plans to return the next day with something to sedate them. —Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2025

Most of the victims were unconscious or sedated hospital patients at the time of the assaults. —Nicolas Vaux-Montagny, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025

Verb

That’s mostly to its benefit, as the movie — always compelling, but sometimes more sedate than its material demands — is often at its most alive during its detours. —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 May 2025

His willpower and determination has warded off advancing age and a T20 belligerent game that was becoming the antithesis of his technical expertise honed from a more sedate era. —Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025