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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Ceramides, cholesterol, and essential fatty acids aid in restoring the barrier while calming inflammation, supporting healing, and strengthening the skin barrier, without being as heavy or occlusive.—
Tatiana Dias,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
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Anderson said the warmth helps calm them down stops their eyes from fluttering.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Get kitted out for a day on the slopes in the in-house ski room before returning to the indoor pool and soothing hands of therapists at Spa L'Apogée by La Prairie.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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Hall remembers being at a homegoing service for a youth lost to gun violence – witnessing a room filled with hurt, chaos, young people all over the place, Spencer came in like Casper, the Friendly Ghost – soothed the family and changed the temperature in the room without grabbing the mic.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
Verb
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However, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
31 May 2026
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Nature’s orchestra lulled me into a tranquil slumber.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 May 2026
Verb
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And for those 81 minutes, that initial yellow card should have proved irrelevant; not because Fenwick was composed enough to resist confrontations with Maradona, but because he could have been shown a straight red card at least twice afterward.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
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The music for this series, composed by Wynne Bennett, elevates it to another level.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Becalm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/becalm. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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