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calm

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noun

calm

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verb

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of calm are peaceful, placid, serene, and tranquil. While all these words mean "quiet and free from disturbance," calm often implies a contrast with a foregoing or nearby state of agitation or violence.

the protests ended, and the streets were calm again

When is peaceful a more appropriate choice than calm?

In some situations, the words peaceful and calm are roughly equivalent. However, peaceful implies a state of repose in contrast with or following strife or turmoil.

grown peaceful in old age

When might placid be a better fit than calm?

The words placid and calm can be used in similar contexts, but placid suggests an undisturbed appearance and often implies a degree of complacency.

remained placid despite the criticism

When would serene be a good substitute for calm?

Although the words serene and calm have much in common, serene stresses an unclouded and lofty tranquility.

watched the sunset of a serene summer's evening

When can tranquil be used instead of calm?

The synonyms tranquil and calm are sometimes interchangeable, but tranquil suggests a very deep quietude or composure.

the tranquil beauty of a formal garden

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of calm
Adjective
Creativity and insight flow from a calm state, not a multitasking one. Elan Gepner-Dales, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025 However, the rocker said things were calm despite the chaos. Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
The manager who is so often the picture of calm had reddened eyes, a hint of melancholy in his voice. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025 For students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and some stress disorders (PTSD), coloring can slow racing thoughts, steady the heart, and foster the calm needed to absorb and retain information. Jason Phillips, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
The rare, direct foreign intervention, which will take the form of a currency swap, is aimed at boosting a collapsing peso and calming market volatility ahead of Argentina’s midterm elections later this month. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025 Things calmed down, although there were still many EMTs crowded around him. Melissa Willets, Parents, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for calm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calm
Adjective
  • The Seattle crowd that exploded in the first was quiet.
    Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The three-bedroom property features quintessentially Scandi details like wide plank flooring and high ceilings, and the balcony comes equipped with sofas for quiet coffees in the morning light.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Monochromatic Raven loves to stick to a simple, serene palette by combining a variety of white tulips with different bloom times.
    Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Poland’s Nazi labyrinth The countryside around the little Polish village of Pniewo looks serene, with its yellow crops and patches of forest, but beneath the surface lies a sprawling 20-mile maze of tunnels, shafts, underground railway stations and combat facilities.
    Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Udine, Italy Reuters — Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched Tuesday in the northern Italian city of Udine before Italy’s World Cup soccer qualifier against Israel, concluding their mostly peaceful protest with clashes involving police.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Both animals were pictured with their eyes closed, in a deep, peaceful snooze together.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But the patient, grinding work of peace implementation typically bores him.
    Bobby Ghosh, Time, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Many obstacles remain to a lasting peace — including whether Israel will pull its military entirely out of Gaza, whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza — but the peace plan may already be shifting the debate around calls to ban and boycott culture coming out of Israel.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Glacial water helps rebalance minerals, squalane restores suppleness, and olive leaf extract soothes redness and helps keep breakouts in check with its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial properties.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Pottery Barn’s outlet is filled with cozy fall quilts for every bed size and an array of seasonal hues, from soothing neutrals to dark statement colors.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The following contains light spoilers for the Season 3 premiere of Elsbeth.
    Scarlett Harris, Time, 13 Oct. 2025
  • State regulators ultimately denied Gershman and Citimark a permit to encroach on the portion of the development containing wetland, but warehouse construction is proceeding on the remaining parts of the 150-acre development.
    IndyStar, IndyStar, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The tranquil, upscale neighborhood of Pacific Palisades was devastated by the wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles County in January, destroying thousands of structures—including the home of celebrities such as Jeff Bridges, Paris Hilton, and Billy Crystal.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Out-of-towners were enjoying the warm weather and music on an outdoor deck at the American Fish Company in Southport, a small and tranquil city near the mouth of the Cape Fear River, when gunshots rang out.
    Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Only on particularly bumpy tarmac did the GTS-spec suspension become too jarring with the adaptive dampers stiffened up in sport mode, but switching them to normal offered the best of both worlds—excellent, composed body control and tuning that ironed out imperfections remarkably well.
    Peter Nelson, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The vocabulary being used by Qatar’s prime minister is strong, evocative and damning, a departure from his usual composed response to the incessant twists and turns of trying to end the 23-month war in Gaza.
    Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Calm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calm. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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