1
as in stopped
to bring (something) to a standstill
it seemed as though nothing could still the fighting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in calmed
to free from distress or disturbance
reading a book helps me to relax and still my mind before going to bed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stilled
Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Hostilities were temporarily stilled by a ceasefire, but fighting resumed in early December.
—John Vink, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Suddenly, the noise in their home stilled.
—Ryan Oehrli
updated February 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
Jesus stilled storms, walked on water, challenged evil beliefs, and brought health, harmony, and safety to the world.
—Pam Debolt, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2025
After two years, the brutal war that started with Hamas' seizure of hostages and led to Israel's bombardment of Gaza was stilled.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
The service lasted more than five hours, but the moment that stilled the crowd came when his widow, Erika, spoke of her husband’s killer in the language of absolution.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
An intense defensive matchup in the boys' semifinals round ended in another sudden-death round that stilled the entire crowd while sending LA's Terron Williams to the finals.
—Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
My limbs stilled and grew heavy in the heat, but Alice jiggled her knees up and down, bursting out with short spurts of conversation that weighed against the beauty of our silence.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Hostilities were temporarily stilled by a ceasefire, but fighting resumed in early December.
—John Vink, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Suddenly, the noise in their home stilled.
—Ryan Oehrli
updated February 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
Jesus stilled storms, walked on water, challenged evil beliefs, and brought health, harmony, and safety to the world.
—Pam Debolt, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2025
After two years, the brutal war that started with Hamas' seizure of hostages and led to Israel's bombardment of Gaza was stilled.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
The service lasted more than five hours, but the moment that stilled the crowd came when his widow, Erika, spoke of her husband’s killer in the language of absolution.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
An intense defensive matchup in the boys' semifinals round ended in another sudden-death round that stilled the entire crowd while sending LA's Terron Williams to the finals.
—Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stilled
Adjective
-
Misael eating meat alone, cutting up pieces with an enormous knife while barely lit by the flames in front of him, and, sporadically, almost-silent lightning bursts in the distant background.—
Vadim Rizov,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
-
My cancer was so silent that two gynecologists hadn’t considered it as a possible diagnosis, and at least one radiologist had entirely missed my tumor—as wide as a peach and as long as my hand.—
Nami Mun,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Can the textpocalypse be stopped?—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Otherwise, the Canadiens were stopped on their first shot and scored on their next three in Game 6; the Sabres were stopped on their first shot and scored on three straight against Jakub Dobeš in Game 5.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Tensions have calmed since then, with both countries scaling back tariffs and China agreeing to halt export restrictions on rare earths.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
-
Yields fell across durations on Wednesday morning as nerves calmed, but narrowed on reports Starmer’s leadership rival Wes Streeting is preparing to resign as health secretary.—
Elsa Ohlen,Joseph Wilkins,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
To the point where Reid shushed him down at times.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Lyonne shushed the staffer, got up and headed to the bathroom, according to Page Six.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The detonation of the bombs brought a terrible wonder, a soundless blast of light and colors never seen before, and never seen again.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Gas exports from Qatar and the UAE have largely halted since the war began, although a few tankers have made it out in recent weeks.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
18 May 2026
-
Iran has told the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that non-hostile vessels can still transit Hormuz with coordination, but Reuters reported that the war has all but halted shipments of about a fifth of the world's oil and LNG through the strait.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The separation pampered white prejudices and soothed white conscience and stomachs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
-
The brand mentions that the sheets are infused with ingredients like hyaluronic acid to leave your skin feeling dewy and soothed, and Harrison can confidently say this is true.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The country will be safer when scientific institutions can do their work free from political interference, and less safe every time they are silenced to serve those in power.—
A.J. Russo,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2026
-
The promises of jobs and tax money didn’t soothe the vocal crowd that had to be silenced several times by Gary Board of Zoning Appeals president Rinzer Williams.—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stilled. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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