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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The breeze should calm some on Saturday, when overcast skies and an unseasonable chill is expected.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Skies are expected to clear, and winds are expected to calm down overnight Friday, which will allow temperatures to drop to or below freezing early Saturday morning.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The formula relies on colloidal oatmeal, an ingredient known for its soothing properties, to calm irritation while helping the skin retain moisture.—
Hana Hong,
Glamour,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Even rice extracts contribute, delivering soothing hydration with a subtle brightening effect.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Winds will lull overnight, Sunday into Monday, before picking back up again on Monday morning.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
15 Mar. 2026
-
It’s meant to be like soda — kind of empty pop calories — to lull you into the seemingly anodyne sounds of the Saja Boys.—
Charlie Harding,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The video depicted fingers on a MIDI keyboard, turning knobs, pushing buttons and supposedly composing the song in real time.—
Sam Davies,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
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The 25–30 Columbia Heights complex is composed of five buildings that originally made up the Squibb Plant, built by the Squibb pharmaceutical company as a factory that produced mineral oil and vitamins among other medical products.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Becalm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/becalm. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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