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stills

verb

present tense third-person singular of still
1
as in stops
to bring (something) to a standstill it seemed as though nothing could still the fighting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in calms
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
3
as in shushes
to stop the noise or speech of the conversation was abruptly stilled by a loud crash from the next room

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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 stills And stills the curiosity, communication, and debate on which any self-aware democracy depends. — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stills
  1. stops
  2. calms
  3. shushes
  4. stalls
  5. composes
  6. silences
  7. catches
  8. soothes
Verb
  • The Cowboys get the benefit of a Zay Flowers drop on third down that stops the red-hot Ravens offense in the red zone.
    — Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2026
  • When Bender considers moving to a rival network, Wever fleshes out the tough carapace of a woman who, even under the thorniest of circumstances, never stops calculating her next move.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of stops
Verb
  • If confusion rises, choose a clear first step and move, because momentum calms nerves and shows allies where to join you.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • My skin doesn’t get irritated either, thanks to the green tea, which reduces redness and calms the skin barrier.
    — Jacqueline Tempera, InStyle, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of calms
Verb
  • Before the chatter can continue, Sharon Leone (Diane Farr), the Cal Fire Division Chief and mother of Bode Leone (Max Thieriot), quickly shushes everyone and reminds them to focus.
    — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
Definition of shushes
Verb
  • Paying Down Data Debt Without Halting AI The mistake most organizations make is treating data debt paydown as a two-year infrastructure project that stalls the AI road map.
    — Gopichand Mannava, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • This process stalls improvements for years.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of stalls
Verb
  • The man composes his responses with the help of a manual that instructs him on which incoming string of Chinese characters should be answered with which other string of Chinese characters.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Agent authority composes dynamically.
    — Harsh Singhal, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Definition of composes
Verb
  • The government silences critics, shuts down free press and condemns other political parties.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The 42mm transducer system pumps out breathtaking dynamic range, while Adaptive Noise Cancellation effortlessly silences noisy dorm halls and busy coffee shops.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of silences
Verb
  • The open-air lobby catches the island's ever-present breeze and looks out over all 12 acres of the beachfront property, where bridges cross a freshwater lagoon loaded with koi, cascading waterfalls, and tropical birds.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The Knights pulled off a remarkable comeback Friday night against Homewood-Flossmoor, trailing 27-10 with under 10 minutes to go and rallying for a 38-27 victory behind two TD catches from junior tight end Desmond Gill.
    — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of catches
Verb
  • The combination of liquid exfoliants gently boosts cell turnover and remove clogged pores, while tea tree leaf water hydrate and soothes.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Du says more work is needed to fully understand how music soothes a stressed brain.
    — Payal Dhar, Scientific American, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of soothes

Browse Nearby Words

stillness
stills
stilly
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Cite this Entry

“Stills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stills. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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