1
a
: devoid of or abstaining from motion
b
archaic
: sedentary
c
: not effervescent
still wine
d(1)
: of, relating to, or being a static photograph as contrasted with a motion picture
(2)
: designed for taking still photographs
a still camera
(3)
: engaged in taking still photographs
a still photographer
stillness
noun
stilled; stilling; stills
: to become motionless or silent : quiet
2
: to arrest the motion of
3
: silence
1
: without motion
sit still
2
3
—used as a function word to indicate the continuance of an action or condition
still lives there
drink it while it's still hot
4
: in spite of that : nevertheless
those who take the greatest care still make mistakes
5
a
: even sense 1b
a still more difficult problem
heavier still
b
: yet sense 1a
has still to be recognized
1
2
: apparatus used in distillation comprising either the chamber in which the vaporization is carried out or the entire equipment
Examples of still in a Sentence
Adjective
The cat twitched slightly, and then was still.
Everyone had left, and the house was finally still.
a class in still photography
They had still and fizzy drinks.
Verb (1)
it seemed as though nothing could still the fighting
reading a book helps me to relax and still my mind before going to bed
the conversation was abruptly stilled by a loud crash from the next room
Adverb
Sit still. It'll just take a minute.
the cat sat absolutely still, watching as the mouse began to make its way across the floor
Noun (1)
in the still of the forest he could relax and forget his worries
a loud noise shattered the still of the night
Recent Examples on the Web
Marah Eakin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Ultrasounds Purpose: Ultrasound imaging, also known as sonography, is a type of scan that works in real-time, rather than producing a still image after the fact, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 9 May 2025
Brian says Buck can still talk to him, which leads to Buck breaking down.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 May 2025
Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
This is the first major exhibition of Hollywood studio portraiture to be showcased from the Museum Department of Film’s film stills archive since 1993.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 3 May 2025
IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2010
Not long after the ground had stilled, dogs outside a restaurant started barking — a sign that an aftershock was coming — and locals hustled everyone out of the stone and wood building, which wasn’t built to withstand shaking.
—Maya Wei-Haas, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for still
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Around since the 1850s, tintype photography captures a still image on a thin metal plate coated with dark lacquer or enamel.
—Marah Eakin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Ultrasounds Purpose: Ultrasound imaging, also known as sonography, is a type of scan that works in real-time, rather than producing a still image after the fact, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
Adverb
While final details of the deal are still in the works, Trump promised the agreement would provide billions of dollars in access for U.S. agricultural products such as beef and ethanol.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 9 May 2025
Brian says Buck can still talk to him, which leads to Buck breaking down.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 May 2025
Noun
Onboard stills boiled saltwater and captured the fresh condensate.
—Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
This is the first major exhibition of Hollywood studio portraiture to be showcased from the Museum Department of Film’s film stills archive since 1993.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 3 May 2025
Verb
Comparable stilling is occurring across the Northern Hemisphere, according to an October report by a team centered at France's Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et l'Environnement (LSCE).
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2010
Not long after the ground had stilled, dogs outside a restaurant started barking — a sign that an aftershock was coming — and locals hustled everyone out of the stone and wood building, which wasn’t built to withstand shaking.
—Maya Wei-Haas, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for still
Cite this Entry
“Still.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/still. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
still
3 of 5 adverb1
: without motion
sit still
2
: up to this or that time
still lives there
while it's still hot
3
: in spite of that : nevertheless
those who take care can still make mistakes
4
a
: even entry 3 sense 4
a still more difficult problem
b
: beyond this : in addition, yet
won still another tournament
still
4 of 5 noun1
2
: a still photograph
still
5 of 5 noun1
2
: a device used in distillation
Etymology
Adjective
Old English stille "not moving"
Noun
from earlier still (verb) "to distill," from Middle English stillen, a shortened form of distillen "to distill"
Biographical Definition
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