peacefulpeace‧ful /ˈpiːsfəl/ ●●○ S3 adjective 
We had a peaceful afternoon without the children. It’s very peaceful out here in the woods.► see thesaurus at quiet2not involving war, fighting, or violencepeaceful protest/demonstration There was a large but peaceful demonstration outside the US Embassy.peaceful solution/conclusion/settlement We must try to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.peaceful means/way/manner/method a political change achieved by peaceful and democratic means the use of nuclear power for peaceful purposes The countries in Europe have established a peaceful co-existence (=they exist together without fighting).3peaceful people do not like violence and do not behave in a violent way: a noisy but peaceful group of demonstrators—peacefully adverb: She was sleeping peacefully.—peacefulness noun [uncountable]COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2nounsa peaceful protest/demonstration· 5,000 students began a peaceful protest which turned into a violent confrontation with police.a peaceful solution/resolution/settlement· The authorities want a peaceful solution to the hostage crisis.peaceful coexistence (=when people live together without fighting or arguing)· Blacks and whites lived in peaceful coexistence.a peaceful transition (=a peaceful change from one system to another)· They hope to achieve a peaceful transition to democracy.phrasesby/through peaceful means· We must redistribute power in this country by peaceful means.for peaceful purposes· A Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed that the nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a peaceful solution to the troubles in the region
- a peaceful transition from military to civilian rule
- After a career as a journalist, she was looking forward to a happy and peaceful retirement.
- It's peaceful out there in the woods.
- It's so nice and peaceful here.
- Langcliffe is a peaceful little village.
- On May 13th, there was a peaceful demonstration of students calling for the resignation of the military regime.
- The revolution turned out to be less peaceful than we had hoped.
- There was a relatively peaceful transfer of power from the military government to the new democracy.
- A peaceful lunch, some bread and cheese - or should he perhaps tidy the lounge first?
- A blackbird was singing and it was very quiet and peaceful in the Park.
- An artfully designed stained-glass hummingbird seems a fitting object to remind us of our stay in this peaceful, bird-rich town.
- Aye, peaceful, thought Guy.
- His careful hands and peaceful face told me he liked doing what he was doing.
- I wish you and your families a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
- The Old Testament abounds in accounts of peaceful settlements overwhelmed, ravished, and utterly destroyed.
THESAURUSa quiet place
without much noise: · It’s so quiet here at night.· This is the quietest room in the house to work in.
with no noise at all: · The room fell silent (=became silent).
(also tranquil especially written) quiet in a pleasant and relaxing way: · Life’s more peaceful in the countryside.· The hotel is set in tranquil surroundings.
[only before noun] quiet – used about a town or village where there are not many people and very little happens: · a sleepy fishing village
Longman Language Activatorpeaceful if a place or situation is peaceful, it makes you feel calm and relaxed because there is no unpleasant noise or activity: · Langcliffe is a peaceful little village.· It's so nice and peaceful here.· After a career as a journalist, she was looking forward to a happy and peaceful retirement.
if a place is calm, there is no violence or excited activity there, especially after a period when there has been violence or excitement: · After yesterday's fighting, the region is now calm again.· Once on board, you can relax in calm, comfortable surroundings.
a quiet place or time is one without much activity, noise, or excitement, or without many people: · Since the last big outbreak of fighting six days ago, the city has been strangely quiet.· The roads are usually pretty quiet at this time of day.a quiet night/evening in (=an evening at home, rather than going out): · Let's have a nice quiet evening in, for a change.a quiet life: · While he liked to go out partying, she wanted a quiet life.
a sleepy town or village is a quiet, peaceful one, where there is very little to do and exciting things do not usually happen: · Ten years ago, this was a sleepy fishing village.· She headed for the High Street, the only lively spot in the sleepy little town.
a place that is tranquil is pleasantly quiet and makes you feel relaxed: · In summer, the normally calm, tranquil streets fill with crowds of tourists.· Efforts are being made to make life more tranquil in Japan's noisy and overcrowded cities.
a restful time or place is a quiet and relaxing one: · I'm looking forward to a quiet, restful summer vacation.· Her suite of rooms was cool and restful.· He woke after a long, restful sleep, feeling refreshed.
without wind, movement, or noise: · It was a long, hot, still September afternoon.· Everything was very still inside the little chapel. Nothing broke the silence.
a peaceful state or situation a peaceful situation with no unpleasant noise or interruptions: · Top footballer Bobby Mimms loves coming back to the peace of his home village in North Yorkshire.· Residents say that the new development would shatter the peace of their area.peace and quiet: · They've gone to the countryside for some peace and quiet.do something in peace (=do something without being interrupted): · Now go away and let me get on with my work in peace.
a situation in which there is no noise, anxious activity, or violence: · What we need now is a period of calm and stability.an atmosphere/sense of calm: · Inside the new gallery, there is an atmosphere of calm.appeal/call for calm: · The Prime Minister visited the centre of the rioting and called for calm.restore calm: · By October 17th, the police had managed to restore calm.
British /tranquility American a pleasantly peaceful situation, especially one in which nothing seems to change: · Nothing ever happens to disturb the tranquillity of this little town, hidden in the Tuscan hills.
a peaceful place a quiet, peaceful place where you can relax or be on your own: · More and more people are swapping their suburban house for a peaceful rural haven.haven of: · The airport chapel offers a haven of peace only metres away from the bustle of the departure lounge.
a peaceful place with busy places around it: · Masongill is a peaceful oasis undisturbed by tourists.oasis of: · The little resort is an oasis of calm on the lively island of Majorca.
when there is no war when there is no war: · There has been peace in the region for six years now.peace talks/negotiations (=when enemies meet and talk, to try and achieve peace): · The United States urged Moscow and the rebels to resume peace talks.a peace agreement/deal/settlement: · More than 250,000 people died before a peace agreement was reached.the peace process (=a continuing attempt, over a long period, to achieve peace between enemies.): · the Middle East peace processworld peace: · It was a dangerous situation that threatened world peace.peace movement (=an organization that works to try to prevent wars): · All her life she'd been an active member of the peace movement.
a period of time when a country is not fighting a war - use this when comparing this period with a time when there is war: · A country's army may be quite small during peacetime.· In peacetime, the Hercules aircraft has been used for distributing food to famine areas.· The talks were aimed at establishing normal peacetime relations between the two countries.
use this about changes or events that happen without war or fighting: · There was a relatively peaceful transfer of power from the military government to the new democracy.· a peaceful solution to the troubles in the region
if two or more countries are at peace with each other, they are not fighting each other and have a friendly relationship: · From 1564 until 1585, England was at peace with most of her neighbours.· For the next 25 years, Britain managd to remain at peace with France.
deliberately avoiding violence · The revolution turned out to be less peaceful than we had hoped.· On May 13th, there was a peaceful demonstration of students calling for the resignation of the military regime.
non-violent methods, protests, organizations etc deliberately avoid using violence: · Our organization has always been non-violent and non-partisan.· In 1942, the Congress Party demanded immediate independence, and threatened massive though non-violent resistance.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meaning 2nouns over 50 years of peaceful coexistence
· 5,000 students began a peaceful protest which turned into a violent confrontation with police.
· The authorities want a peaceful solution to the hostage crisis.
(=when people live together without fighting or arguing)· Blacks and whites lived in peaceful coexistence.
(=a peaceful change from one system to another)· They hope to achieve a peaceful transition to democracy.
phrases· We must redistribute power in this country by peaceful means.
· A Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed that the nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES over 50 years of peaceful coexistence· Everyone has the right to take part in peaceful demonstrations.
· The various tribes on the island enjoyed a relatively peaceful existence.
· They enjoy a comfortable existence.
· Some 5,000 students and others began a peaceful protest.
(=without fighting)· Both sides are working towards a peaceful settlement.
(=one that does not involve fighting)· We will continue to work strenuously for a political solution acceptable to all parties.
· We all wish to see a peaceful transition.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Other forms of backstairs succession may be more peaceful but do not indicate much greater governmental stability.· For a more peaceful stroll, retire to the shady streets across the plaza at the foot of the Bridge of Lions.· Inside the cemetery, Maggie couldn't imagine a more peaceful setting.· Everybody wants a more peaceful world.· What could be more peaceful, more harmless?· At a global level, do you Dream of a more peaceful world?· But it was followed by slightly more peaceful methods.· It was more peaceful now she was gone for good, but miserable.
· They are among the most peaceful Mbuna and you shouldn't have too much trouble with aggression in them.· The United States is the most peaceful, least warlike nation in modern history.· Even the most peaceful place is full of strife, with any weakness among its inhabitants at once exploited.· It is the most peaceful time he and I have spent together in at least two years.· Even the most peaceful fish can act aggressively to newcomers in their territory.· In the year 1900, he said, there were parades and celebrations predicting this would be the most peaceful century.
· Subsequently relations between the Romans and Visigoths improved and the latter were relatively peaceful.· Though scholars once thought it was relatively peaceful, the classic Maya world now is viewed as driven by warfare and rivalry.· During the 1970s, with two power stations in relatively peaceful operation, the Board consolidated its position on the Somerset coast.· The team s only work on the ground is in the relatively peaceful breakaway states of Somaliland and Puntland.· The protest I envisioned for that brief moment was relatively peaceful though, kind of like a pro-abortion march on Washington.
· Dolphins weave between the stars above us. So peaceful down her, so soothing.· The rural scene was so peaceful and indifferent to my predicament.· The Cam always looks so peaceful, especially so on a winter's day with no punts or rowing boats in sight.· It was so peaceful there, all her trouble left her and she slept.· The city was so peaceful and clean.· For all intents and purposes, the young man had died, yet he looked so peaceful.· It was unyielding as iron, yet he had never felt so peaceful.· It was so peaceful out here in contrast, and so redolent of nature's life.
· The weekend of protest was very peaceful.· Tehran was very peaceful and not crowded, but has about 10 million people today and it's overcrowded.· She looked very peaceful, like a girl I once saw who had drowned.· She looked very peaceful, and I was quite unafraid, interested to know what had happened.· We're custodians; it's very peaceful.
NOUN· We can do this by presenting societies whose ideological construction of human nature and behaviour is such as to favour peaceful coexistence.· Nixon contends that we are heading into a period of peaceful coexistence in the world.· Rational persuasion is thus the foundation of peaceful coexistence.· That is the logic of peaceful coexistence, that is the historical logic of Stalinism. 8.
· No one had expected anything more than a passing peaceful demonstration.· One proposed change would return to the police the power to ban peaceful demonstrations, while another would sharply limit privacy rights.· As many as 400,000 people participated in a peaceful demonstration in Srinagar on Feb. 23.· Since December 1989 peaceful demonstrations have taken place in the capital, Ulan Bator, in support of political and economic reforms.· Thousands of fans up and down the country plan one minute's peaceful demonstration to coincide with weekend kickoffs.
· This has caused some concern as peaceful demonstrators may be prevented from marching because of the threat posed by a potentially disruptive counter-demonstration.· The violence against peaceful demonstrators by police was downplayed, while violence against police was played up.
· There is neither a biblical past to escape to nor a peaceful future to anticipate.
· He wanted a more solitary, peaceful life.· And that no one sharing the peaceful life of the Domaine Ardente loved me as much as she did.· For he had had a peaceful life of it with Yanek, up on the mountain.· He and the princess lived a long and peaceful life, and Maddin ruled the kingdom after the sultan died.· The conservative teacher who is looking only for a reasonable salary and a peaceful life.· Melville remained, and, in many respects, admired the simple and peaceful life of the natives.· She believed privacy to be a key requisite for a peaceful life.
· We must redistribute power in this country by peaceful means.· Second, unification shall be achieved through peaceful means, and not through use of force against one another.· But some important political changes, as I suggested, have also been achieved by peaceful means.
· Be conscious of the fact that this is a tranquil and a peaceful place and that it belongs to you.· Admittedly, Huaiwiri was a peaceful place, which may reflect the exceptional power of women there.· Even the most peaceful place is full of strife, with any weakness among its inhabitants at once exploited.· I went there one spring evening with my diary under my arm, looking for a peaceful place to write.· A silent, peaceful place but he had a premonition of something terrible.· Or imagine yourself in a peaceful place.
· They were just having a peaceful protest, sitting there and linking arms: no threats or fear of violence.· It was an impassioned, largely peaceful protest.· This would include many forms of peaceful protest, including sit-ins, certain public meetings, and even some pickets.· And there was in practice a very thin line between peaceful protest and the other variety.· Accordingly, the constitutions of many states contain guarantees of the right of peaceful protest.· They were arrested on 5 October while staging a peaceful protest to highlight repression in Bophuthatswana.· University students have so far heeded the call, staging peaceful protests nationwide.
· For some time the weapons states have maintained that the peaceful trade in peaceful atoms has been for purely peaceful purposes.· But if it has that civil capability it is all too easy to turn it to less than peaceful purposes.
· Even the peaceful resolution of the crisis at the end of February did not negate these objectives.· Together, Minnig and Cipriani carry the hopes for a peaceful resolution of the hostage crisis here.
· To such scenes his narrator is introduced by the shopkeeper Gedali, believer in a peaceful Revolution.
· The treaty guaranteed the peaceful settlement of disputes between the two countries.· They helped negotiate peaceful settlements to several independence wars.· Trying to checkmate a protagonist into immobility-or nonexistence-will not promote a peaceful settlement.· The press increased its din and accused all who favored a peaceful settlement of being traitors to the nation.· This was hailed as historic at the time - as a giant contribution towards a peaceful settlement of the Middle East.· The Old Testament abounds in accounts of peaceful settlements overwhelmed, ravished, and utterly destroyed.
· We pass laws in a bid to create a peaceful society.· Archaeological remains from these villages suggest surprisingly peaceful societies.
· But people like Shakiri do not believe there can be a peaceful solution to the crisis.· There are peaceful solutions to accommodating both smokers and nonsmokers.· A peaceful solution is far from assured, however.· That is not going to help to bring about a just and peaceful solution to the problem.· Without a regional focus, inclusive of all ethnic groups, there is little chance for a peaceful solution.
· The peaceful transition to democracy depends mainly on the military regime.· That is the way to achieve a peaceful transition.· We all wish to see a peaceful transition.
· Towards this end, agreements were signed on fishing, trade, environmental protection and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.· Funds long used for defense and aggression are at last freed for peaceful uses.· There are few peaceful uses for plutonium.· Objective: Promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
· Age-old enemies have accepted that compromise is the only peaceful way forward.· Elections are invaluable, however, for providing the people with a peaceful way of throwing politicians out of office.
· At a global level, do you Dream of a more peaceful world?· What a peaceful world it would be if religion could be banished completely.· Democracy and trade are the pillars of a peaceful world.· Everybody wants a more peaceful world.
WORD FAMILYnounpeacepeacefulnesspacifierpacifismpacifistadjectivepeacefulpeaceablepacifistadverbpeacefullypeaceablyverbpacify
1a peaceful time, place, or situation is quiet and calm without any worry or excitement: We had a peaceful afternoon without the children. It’s very peaceful out here in the woods.► see thesaurus at quiet2not involving war, fighting, or violencepeaceful protest/demonstration There was a large but peaceful demonstration outside the US Embassy.peaceful solution/conclusion/settlement We must try to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.peaceful means/way/manner/method a political change achieved by peaceful and democratic means the use of nuclear power for peaceful purposes The countries in Europe have established a peaceful co-existence (=they exist together without fighting).3peaceful people do not like violence and do not behave in a violent way: a noisy but peaceful group of demonstrators—peacefully adverb: She was sleeping peacefully.—peacefulness noun [uncountable]COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2nounsa peaceful protest/demonstration· 5,000 students began a peaceful protest which turned into a violent confrontation with police.a peaceful solution/resolution/settlement· The authorities want a peaceful solution to the hostage crisis.peaceful coexistence (=when people live together without fighting or arguing)· Blacks and whites lived in peaceful coexistence.a peaceful transition (=a peaceful change from one system to another)· They hope to achieve a peaceful transition to democracy.phrasesby/through peaceful means· We must redistribute power in this country by peaceful means.for peaceful purposes· A Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed that the nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.