Definition of tranquilnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word tranquil different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of tranquil are calm, peaceful, placid, and serene. While all these words mean "quiet and free from disturbance," tranquil suggests a very deep quietude or composure.

the tranquil beauty of a formal garden

When is it sensible to use calm instead of tranquil?

In some situations, the words calm and tranquil are roughly equivalent. However, calm often implies a contrast with a foregoing or nearby state of agitation or violence.

the protests ended, and the streets were calm again

When could peaceful be used to replace tranquil?

The synonyms peaceful and tranquil are sometimes interchangeable, but peaceful implies a state of repose in contrast with or following strife or turmoil.

grown peaceful in old age

When can placid be used instead of tranquil?

The meanings of placid and tranquil largely overlap; however, placid suggests an undisturbed appearance and often implies a degree of complacency.

remained placid despite the criticism

When is serene a more appropriate choice than tranquil?

The words serene and tranquil are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, serene stresses an unclouded and lofty tranquility.

watched the sunset of a serene summer's evening

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 tranquil Schoen, owner of the Paradise River Bend wedding venue and vacation rental property, often visits what was once a pristine retreat across the road from his cabins, surrounded by trees and nestled along the usually tranquil Guadalupe River. Abrielle Kate Maddison, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026 While the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks have been relatively tranquil this winter, the Los Angeles Dodgers added to their embarrassment of riches by signing four-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker and three-time All-Star closer Edwin Díaz. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026 In the same way, the entire gallery space invites us into the thoughtful and tranquil world of Alfredo Castañeda. Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026 Off the usually tranquil shores of Arroyo and Guayanilla, beachgoers watched in disbelief as helicopters whirred and the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship, appeared from nowhere. Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tranquil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tranquil
Adjective
  • Something in these quiet rooms is getting ready to happen.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Their world is upended when a new neighbor moves in across the street, bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighborhood.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 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
  • Freedom of peaceful navigation is a basic principle of international maritime trade, but Iran has asserted control of the strait.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!
    Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • So much of her take on this artist in perpetual waiting revolves around sizing situations up, keeping cards close to vests, masking intents, letting tiny ripples in deceptively placid surfaces stand in for big displays.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Residents can see the low, placid water from their churches, schools and houses.
    Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The feature is set in British Columbia, largely in the span of a summer during the nineteen-nineties, in a calm residential suburb on the ruggedly alluring Vancouver Island.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
  • This is altered by telehealth, which allows patients to start this delicate procedure in a calm, secure and private setting.
    Lucy Jones April 11, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • In the nearly 50 years since it was released, Faces of Death has become something of a cursed object, the kind of movie that gets traded around on old VHS tapes and spoken about in hushed tones on playgrounds and in video stores.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
  • There’s a beguiling dissonance between the hushed voiceover and the images of ships carrying cables and dropping them in the ocean for the internet to reach the island.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Flight attendants favor exit row window seats for the extra legroom, quiet surroundings, and a better chance at restful travel.
    Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
  • For South Florida residents dealing with the particular blend of heat, humidity and urban noise that can make restful sleep elusive, the approach requires nothing more than a phone or speaker on a nightstand.
    Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Tranquil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tranquil. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

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