as in to calm
to free from distress or disturbance
becalmed at last, she slept soundly for the first time in weeks
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Recent Examples of becalm
Within an hour of pushing off, though, we were becalmed and drifted straight toward Faith Hill’s house.
—
Porter Fox, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2019
But if the world’s major central banks are moving in lockstep and bond yields are becalmed at low levels, there’s less opportunity to make money.
—Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2019
Eighteenth-century sailors referred to this part of the Atlantic as the horse latitudes because, the story goes, ships would get becalmed there and have to dump their horses overboard as freshwater supplies dwindled.
—David Doubilet, National Geographic, 12 June 2019
But with his party becalmed at around just 20% in the polls, Mr Sánchez wants his Socialists, with just 84 of the 350 seats in parliament, to govern alone for an unspecified period.
—The Economist, 31 May 2018
In some of Paglen’s works, drones are seen as nothing more than a dark speck against a backdrop of becalming gray or sun-gold clouds, a way of denoting their possibly sinister near invisibility in our world.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 31 May 2018
What is the value of clean, unchemical thinking, and where’s the narrative rush of a life becalmed?
—Beth Kephart, chicagotribune.com, 2 Apr. 2018
This becalmed, majestic figure feels like a monument or a memorial, an avatar of female authority whose glamour, while alluring, telegraphs depth rather than surface.
—Rhonda Garelick, The Cut, 14 Feb. 2018
Porter Fox, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2019
But if the world’s major central banks are moving in lockstep and bond yields are becalmed at low levels, there’s less opportunity to make money.
—Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2019
Eighteenth-century sailors referred to this part of the Atlantic as the horse latitudes because, the story goes, ships would get becalmed there and have to dump their horses overboard as freshwater supplies dwindled.
—David Doubilet, National Geographic, 12 June 2019
But with his party becalmed at around just 20% in the polls, Mr Sánchez wants his Socialists, with just 84 of the 350 seats in parliament, to govern alone for an unspecified period.
—The Economist, 31 May 2018
In some of Paglen’s works, drones are seen as nothing more than a dark speck against a backdrop of becalming gray or sun-gold clouds, a way of denoting their possibly sinister near invisibility in our world.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 31 May 2018
What is the value of clean, unchemical thinking, and where’s the narrative rush of a life becalmed?
—Beth Kephart, chicagotribune.com, 2 Apr. 2018
This becalmed, majestic figure feels like a monument or a memorial, an avatar of female authority whose glamour, while alluring, telegraphs depth rather than surface.
—Rhonda Garelick, The Cut, 14 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for becalm
Verb
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Pair it with the Deep Sleep Body Cocoon for a calming duo to gently ease you into relaxation before sleep.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
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However, when the island air calms down in the evening, their delightful fragrance is very evident.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Instead, we’re simply asked to follow Nanning’s fairytale-like quest, searching for butter, honey, and white bread to soothe Hille on an island where such rations have been all but depleted by war.—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
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Part of the Nordic ESS Group collection of hotels, Rox meshes soothing Scandinavian minimalism with a welcome moodiness.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Like a warm summer night or a third cocktail, Lemann lulls and envelops you.—
Brandy Jensen,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
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Get a good night’s rest with this white noise machine, which has 30 sounds (like gentle rain and sea waves) to lull you to sleep.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The boarding party could be composed of sailors, Marines, or special operations personnel depending on the situation.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Across town, drummer/impresario Mike Reed stages a tribute of his own to the city’s avant-garde, delving into everything from AACM bassist Fred Hopkins’ oeuvre to music composed in Chicago between 1980 and 2010.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Becalm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/becalm. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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