1
as in stops
to bring (something) to a standstill
it seemed as though nothing could still the fighting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stills
Verb
-
This court order temporarily stops most collection activities, including lawsuits, wage garnishments, bank levies and collection calls.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
-
The team stops functioning as a unit and starts behaving as a collection of individuals.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Something about seeing the gentle flow of an expansive body of water immediately calms the nerves, sending your mind into a state of sweet stillness.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
-
When risk is clear, the brain calms down enough to think.—
Gerald J. Leonard,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
This process stalls improvements for years.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The irony is that, over time, those same systems become the choke points that determine who can scale and who stalls.—
Alexandre de Vigan,
Forbes.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Her capriciousness leads her into an affair with a frustrated professor, Mark (Michael Angarano), who compliments her writing and composes pretentious, backhandedly insulting poems about their not-quite-love.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The group composes its own sacred music, lilting songs that prompt women in green-and-white wraparounds to vigorously shake their bodies.—
Rodney Muhumuza,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Preclinical research shows long-term estrogen deprivation epigenetically silences BDNF in the hippocampus, blunting the brain’s response to exercise over time.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
2 May 2026
-
This erosion of consistency silences our voices and creates a deep distrust in our electoral system.—
Kathy Schmitz,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rice, one of the team's better receivers with 156 catches his first three NFL seasons, has proven that he cannot be trusted to stay out of trouble.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
-
When the stock market sneezes, California state government catches pneumonia.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
For extra calming, centella ansiatica further soothes redness.—
Rosa Jisoo Pyo,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
-
For designer Anita Yokota, Benjamin Moore’s Smoky Blue is a standout—a soothing, nature-nodding hue that soothes on sight.—
Marisa Suzanne Martin,
The Spruce,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Canned water chestnuts are blanched before packing, which mutes their flavor slightly but preserves their crispness.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Robinson is the favorite to start, which would mean Towns sliding over to power forward, which mutes some of his offensive superpowers.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stills. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
