as in calm
free from emotional or mental agitation
a supremely self-possessed teacher who could handle any crisis
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Recent Examples of self-possessed
Yoro came out with top marks in reports, a teenager who looked self-possessed.
—
Andy Mitten, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Oscar is so self-possessed, and to play him very close to losing control entirely and doing something terrible is really fun.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 28 July 2025
Their dynamic is not entirely unlike that of the upstart Nomi and established Cristal in Showgirls or the sarcastic Devon and beatific Michaela in Sirens: On one hand, Sophie wants to be as confident and self-possessed as Margo, as comfortable in her own skin and her desires.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 July 2025
Where Harlan is decisive and self-possessed, Cane is anxious and unconfident, a good guy stymied by both the yoke of responsibility and his father’s tendency to cut him off at the knees (and punch him in the face).
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 19 June 2025
Smart, grounded, and self-possessed (not to mention the closest AJLT got to middle-class representation), Pittman’s Nya made more sense as part of the ensemble.
—Judy Berman, Time, 28 May 2025
And if ‘Robot & Frank’ director Jake Schreier’s Marvel debut is among the best and most self-possessed of these movies since Thanos snapped the mega-franchise half, its pleasures still feel like faint echoes of the series’ previous highs.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 May 2025
His early writing—often brilliant and, given his youth, boldly self-possessed, sometimes to a fault—is driven by certainty.
—Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 May 2025
Authentic Storytelling Without Compromise In discussing her role as a Brighton Beach stripper who spontaneously marries a rich, young Russian client yet remains self-possessed, Madison shared that her uncompromising authenticity got her the part.
—Gemma Allen, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Andy Mitten, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Oscar is so self-possessed, and to play him very close to losing control entirely and doing something terrible is really fun.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 28 July 2025
Their dynamic is not entirely unlike that of the upstart Nomi and established Cristal in Showgirls or the sarcastic Devon and beatific Michaela in Sirens: On one hand, Sophie wants to be as confident and self-possessed as Margo, as comfortable in her own skin and her desires.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 July 2025
Where Harlan is decisive and self-possessed, Cane is anxious and unconfident, a good guy stymied by both the yoke of responsibility and his father’s tendency to cut him off at the knees (and punch him in the face).
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 19 June 2025
Smart, grounded, and self-possessed (not to mention the closest AJLT got to middle-class representation), Pittman’s Nya made more sense as part of the ensemble.
—Judy Berman, Time, 28 May 2025
And if ‘Robot & Frank’ director Jake Schreier’s Marvel debut is among the best and most self-possessed of these movies since Thanos snapped the mega-franchise half, its pleasures still feel like faint echoes of the series’ previous highs.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 May 2025
His early writing—often brilliant and, given his youth, boldly self-possessed, sometimes to a fault—is driven by certainty.
—Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 May 2025
Authentic Storytelling Without Compromise In discussing her role as a Brighton Beach stripper who spontaneously marries a rich, young Russian client yet remains self-possessed, Madison shared that her uncompromising authenticity got her the part.
—Gemma Allen, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-possessed
Adjective
-
Nonetheless, the analyst said investors should remain calm.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Life during wartime will make what came before seem positively calm.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Soak and steam your way into bliss in the Erre Spa at Grand Hotel Courmayeur Mont Blanc or the wellness center at Montana Lodge & Spa. Go snowshoeing through the serene Val Veny, then warm up with a long lunch in a cozy rifugio.—
Hannah Howard,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Aug. 2025
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The Best Places To Stay In Blairsville, GA For a private and comfortable retreat, spend the weekend at Creekside Cottages, which has three quaint stays located along the serene Butternut Creek.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In a scene from the film, Benedict Wong's school principal character, Marcus, is shown at home with his husband, and viewers get a glimpse at their peaceful life before things take a dark turn.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Over the course of two weeks, ISIS invaded Sinjar, including my once peaceful village of Kocho, sewing fear and chaos, before killing nearly every Yazidi man in my village and taking women and children into captivity.—
Nadia Murad,
Time,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Her parents, Bertram and Olga, operated a music school and composed music.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Aug. 2025
-
Yet for all the nerves, there is great pride in Yoro’s calm and composed performances, which have quickly taken him to the top.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
The collected water can then be used for watering the lawn and garden, reducing your spending and your water waste, while still keeping the lawn and garden looking great throughout the summer.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 July 2025
-
These salts can leak out with the collected water, making for an unpalatable drink.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
How to describe the romantic ski weekend montage involving a possessed snowman, in what seems to be an homage to the Wham!—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Jealous, murderous, possessed spouses lend themselves well to cinema, but glimpses of a couple gulping up each other’s daily air is trickier to convey.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
The producers of The Valley were right to presume that chaos would ensue when people who’d been partying for 20 years tried to settle into more tranquil, suburban existences.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The four mile long loop built to connect parts of the city’s new Parks and Boulevards system was tranquil, scenic and offered grand views of the Missouri River below.—
Randy Mason,
Kansas City Star,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-possessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-possessed. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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