as in calm
free from emotional or mental agitation
a supremely self-possessed teacher who could handle any crisis
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 self-possessed
With the exception of the barky ottoman, the dogs all struck me as quite self-possessed.
—
Rachel Sugar, Curbed, 8 Apr. 2026
Early on, Hamilton is self-possessed, her carriage underscoring her as an arbiter of social good, the gracious hostess.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 2 Feb. 2026
Mother’s Little Boy (Nick Barrington, humorously self-possessed) is a curious observer of the changes taking place around him.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
The version of you that steps forward now feels more self-possessed, radiant, and rooted.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 21 Sep. 2025
Even for someone used to covering for her daughter’s wrongdoings, Tracey is remarkably self-possessed as Laura pries mercilessly into her life and accuses Cherry of every crime under the sun.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Yoro came out with top marks in reports, a teenager who looked self-possessed.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Relaxed yet intentional, refined yet understated, self-possessed and naturally shareable.
—Advertorial, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Rachel Sugar, Curbed, 8 Apr. 2026
Early on, Hamilton is self-possessed, her carriage underscoring her as an arbiter of social good, the gracious hostess.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 2 Feb. 2026
Mother’s Little Boy (Nick Barrington, humorously self-possessed) is a curious observer of the changes taking place around him.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
The version of you that steps forward now feels more self-possessed, radiant, and rooted.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 21 Sep. 2025
Even for someone used to covering for her daughter’s wrongdoings, Tracey is remarkably self-possessed as Laura pries mercilessly into her life and accuses Cherry of every crime under the sun.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Yoro came out with top marks in reports, a teenager who looked self-possessed.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Relaxed yet intentional, refined yet understated, self-possessed and naturally shareable.
—Advertorial, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-possessed
Adjective
-
The spa The Retreat spa is the incredibly calm, beating heart of this property.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Then the lights went out in the store, and one of the clerks shrieked in the dark, and another told her to remain calm.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While home to less than 2,000 students, the campus, called the Domain, spans 13,000 acres, much of it still wild and undeveloped, and the areas where college life unfolds are dotted with Gothic Revival architecture; take it all in with a serene stroll.—
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Set upon a four-acre estate with a large pool and serene pond, the property takes inspiration form an English country house.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While there seems to have been a relatively peaceful dynamic inside the SAG-AFTRA building over the past few weeks, the same cannot be said for things outside on Wilshire Blvd where the WGA West‘s staff has been picketing the writers’ negotiations amid a seven-week strike.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The ranch-style retreat backs up to the Wekiva River, offering a peaceful, scenic escape.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
What caught my attention, however, beyond the lip-syncing and costume changes, was the family opposite me: the mother neat and composed, father in golf-course polo and chinos, two thirty-something sons cheering alongside a girlfriend who would not look out of place on a pageant stage.—
Sophie Morgan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Before Tuesday night, Konate had looked much more composed and commanding.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The robot will vacuum oil from the water’s surface, return to its base station to discharge the collected oil, and then redeploy to the spill site.—
Ben Coxworth
March 10,
New Atlas,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The collected data is then analyzed by an outside statistician before the report is issued.—
Theresa Clift,
Sacbee.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In the Village Voice, where the Consumer Guide became one of the fabled alt-weekly’s go-to features from the ’70s through the ’90s, Christgau wrote like a possessed fan who breathed insight, making every capsule sound like a psychedelic sonnet.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
29 Mar. 2026
-
David Dastmalchian stars as Jack Delroy, an opportunistic host who invites a possessed girl and a child psychologist as his guests for the night in a desperate bid for ratings.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Turning onto shady Little Road felt instantly tranquil.—
Christopher Spata,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
-
That earlier film, a languid, unsettling thriller, focused on its protagonist’s emotional breakdown during a supposedly tranquil Mediterranean vacation.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-possessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-possessed. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
