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
-
Republican members also remained silent, with the exception of Chairman Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, who called for the vote.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Behind bars, Jeffs ordered his followers to no longer marry or have children and later became increasingly silent, paving the way for Bateman to assert himself as his heir.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
To encompass the story, about a miracle from 847, when Pope Leo IV stopped a fire with a blessing, Raphael brings you into the fresco through the unshod feet of a woman in agony and leaves you near the very back, with a tiny and serene Leo IV.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
If the game stopped at this point, Fermat’s method for dividing the pot would list all possible outcomes of those five coin flips and then tally the ones that amassed 10 points for each player.—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Brubaker, still perturbed about Wolcott calling time, immediately yelled at Wolcott and had to be calmed down by Susac.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
McAdoo calmed down, and no one brought it up again.—
Josh Owens,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 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
-
Soccer’s governing bodies have struggled for decades to eliminate racial abuse despite heavy fines, stadium closures, points deductions, halted matches and bans for both fans and players who break the rules.—
Carlos Rodriguez,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Maybe that would have changed on this possession had Brown not uncharacteristically halted play as Brunson made his move to the paint.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The tap-tap-tap hammering up and down my spine and around my shoulder blades actually soothed me nearly to sleep.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Irrational fears can’t be soothed by logic.—
Calvin Kasulke,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Carasso says he won’t be silenced.—
Ariella Noveck,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Voyager 2's own LECP instrument was silenced in March 2025.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stilled. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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