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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of placid are calm, peaceful, serene, and tranquil. While all these words mean "quiet and free from disturbance," placid suggests an undisturbed appearance and often implies a degree of complacency.

remained placid despite the criticism

When is it sensible to use calm instead of placid?

The synonyms calm and placid are sometimes interchangeable, but calm often implies a contrast with a foregoing or nearby state of agitation or violence.

the protests ended, and the streets were calm again

In what contexts can peaceful take the place of placid?

The meanings of peaceful and placid largely overlap; however, peaceful implies a state of repose in contrast with or following strife or turmoil.

grown peaceful in old age

When is serene a more appropriate choice than placid?

While the synonyms serene and placid are close in meaning, serene stresses an unclouded and lofty tranquility.

watched the sunset of a serene summer's evening

When can tranquil be used instead of placid?

While in some cases nearly identical to placid, 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 placid For decades, that task would have taken place in the placid setting of a bullpen session. Andy McCullough, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025 There are meadows full of elk and rivers stacked with trout, steep slopes, and placid lakes. Graham Averill, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2025 May 13, 2021 issue Prudence Crowther and James Taibi Olympic Notes August 8, 1996 issue Christopher Benfey Resistance Pottery Two recent exhibitions of the work of Black potters find political acts in the placid history of nineteenth-century American stoneware. Heather O’Donnell, The New York Review of Books, 24 Apr. 2025 Damn, again, my woulda, shoulda anger steams beneath a somewhat placid exterior. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for placid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for placid
Adjective
  • People who responded to the survey said the Morro Bay campsite was serene and dog-friendly, while also being close to town and nature walks.
    Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 17 May 2025
  • At the Cowboy Carter concert at Chicago’s Soldier Field on Thursday (May 15), the serene moment was interrupted — at least for Blue, who realized the earring in her right ear was caught in Beyoncé’s hair.
    Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • At Lewis Vaughn Botanical Garden, a tranquil 1.5-acre oasis in the heart of the historic downtown, visitors will find a pond with koi and many examples of Georgia Piedmont plants.
    Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 20 May 2025
  • In its path, a group of longtime neighbors live in a tranquil enclave of homes.
    Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • Until this point, Gilgeous-Alexander has displayed a quiet form of leadership during his NBA career.
    Mark LaSota, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
  • Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, Illinois Set in the quiet prairie lands south of Chicago, this cemetery is one of the largest in the Midwest.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Considered one of the state’s best beach towns, Biloxi is known for its picturesque sand and calm waters that are protected by barrier islands just south of the beach in the Gulf of Mexico.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 23 May 2025
  • It's also infused with prebiotic oats, which support healthy skin and calm irritations like eczema.
    Laura Lu, Parents, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • When they are released, these reports will now reportedly exclude information on issues such as government efforts to deny freedom of movement and peaceful assembly, failures to retain or provide due process for political prisoners, and the harassment of human rights organizations.
    Time, Time, 21 May 2025
  • Before our appointment at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, a peaceful retreat off the Bodega Highway in West Sonoma county, a friend and I popped into a nearby gift shop.
    Alyssa Bereznak, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Mexican side looked more composed in the second half, creating more scoring opportunities, especially after Sarah Luebbert (former Chicago Red Stars and University of Missouri standout) came on as a substitute and threatened Gotham’s defense.
    Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 21 May 2025
  • Today Diddy seemed more composed, though how long that will last is TBD.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 16 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Placid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/placid. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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