calm
1 of 3noun
ˈkäm 
ˈkälm
ˈkälm ˈkam,
ˈkȯ(l)m
1
a
: a period or condition of freedom from storms, high winds, or rough activity of water
a sailing ship motionless in the calm
b
: complete absence of wind or presence of wind having a speed no greater than one mile (1.6 kilometers) per hour see Beaufort Scale Table
2
: a state of tranquility
At dusk a quiet calm settled over the town.
calm
2 of 3verb
calmed; calming; calms
intransitive verb
: to become calm —usually used with down
The mayor asked the protesters to calm down so he could speak.
transitive verb
: to make calm —often used with down
calm him down; get him to be reasonable
S. H. Adams
S. H. Adamscalm
3 of 3adjective
1
: marked by calm : still
a calm sea
2
: free from agitation, excitement, or disturbance
calmly adverb
calmness noun
Synonyms
Noun
- calmness
- hush
- peace
- peacefulness
- placidity
- quiet
- quietness
- quietude
- repose
- restfulness
- sereneness
- serenity
- still
- stillness
- tranquillity
- tranquility
Verb
- becalm
- compose
- lull
- lullaby
- quiet
- quieten [chiefly British]
- salve
- settle
- soothe
- still
- tranquilize
- tranquillize
Adjective
- halcyon
- hushed
- lown [dialect]
- peaceful
- placid
- quiet
- serene
- still
- stilly
- tranquil
- untroubled
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun After two days of violent protests, the mayor appealed for calm. The calm was broken by another terrorist bombing. the calm of a church Police tried to restore calm after the riot. A quiet calm settled over the city. Verb His words were effective in calming her fears. The medicine helped calm her breathing. Adjective The teacher asked us to remain calm after the fire alarm went off. Let's try to have a calm discussion about your grades. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Ghaith Al-sayed And Bassem Mroue, ajc, 6 July 2022 In the calm of the end of the round, the cut fell at 4-over 144. Steve Dimeglio, USA TODAY, 21 May 2022 Allan attempted to crawl into the vehicle to keep Brown calm until paramedics arrived, but Brown shot him 11 times. Washington Post, 7 May 2022 Allan attempted to crawl into the vehicle to keep Brown calm until paramedics arrived. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 6 May 2022 The Polestar 2's cockpit surrounds you in minimalist calm. Anthony Karcz, Forbes, 30 Apr. 2022 To put it bluntly, armed with this information, members of Congress could potentially enter or exit a market position in relative calm before any market storm. Paul Andrews, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2022 Unfortunately, that event happened in the calm before the Delta storm, which meant the 2021 fest got pushed from Labor Day Weekend 2021 to June 2022. al, 16 Mar. 2022 Two sisters, Georgina O Briain and Caragh Lawlor, sat in the calm of Solas Bhride’s central prayer space on Saint Brigid’s Day, quietly weaving rush crosses. New York Times, 11 Mar. 2022 John Hilliard, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Sep. 2022 At some point Jackson and his girlfriend got into an argument, and the victim then took Jackson outside to calm him down, investigators said. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2022 Model self-compassion by speaking out loud, or use it silently to calm yourself. Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2022 The people around Hannons and Jordan tried to calm them down again. Kelan Lyons, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2022 The formula includes kaolin clay to exfoliate and lavender and tea tree essential oils to calm the skin. ELLE, 22 July 2022 Our actions might not exactly go as planned, so Montúfar advises us to calm ourselves a bit and go with the flow. Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 3 July 2022 Mature skin is generally on the dryer side, so dermatologists recommend similar ingredients, such as moisturizing oils to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and shea butter to calm thirsty skin. Nikhita Mahtani, SELF, 14 June 2022 This deep-cleaning formula also contains soothing ingredients like allantoin, which helps to calm irritated skin, and vitamin B5 to nourish and protect. Cristina Montemayor, Men's Health, 13 June 2022 Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 2 Sep. 2022 Winds that had pushed the fire Wednesday were more calm overnight and on Thursday morning. San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 But parents were calm and things were running smoothly just 20 minutes out from when classes began that morning. Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Aug. 2022 This is a time for being calm and not speculating and certainly not providing rhetoric that suggests that civil war or taking up arms is necessary. ABC News, 14 Aug. 2022 The office also suggests that spectators move to higher ground when winds are calm. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Aug. 2022 Police managed to find the home and, upon officers’ arrival, found the home to be calm. cleveland, 10 Aug. 2022 Winds will be calm most of the day, kicking up to about 6 mph later in the afternoon. oregonlive, 10 Aug. 2022 Be cool, be calm, ask good questions, and let your in-laws see your sparkle. Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2022 See More
Noun
Since December 2016, the family that lost its main bread winner seven years ago has been living in relative calm close to the Turkish border. Ghaith Al-sayed And Bassem Mroue, ajc, 6 July 2022 In the calm of the end of the round, the cut fell at 4-over 144. Steve Dimeglio, USA TODAY, 21 May 2022 Allan attempted to crawl into the vehicle to keep Brown calm until paramedics arrived, but Brown shot him 11 times. Washington Post, 7 May 2022 Allan attempted to crawl into the vehicle to keep Brown calm until paramedics arrived. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 6 May 2022 The Polestar 2's cockpit surrounds you in minimalist calm. Anthony Karcz, Forbes, 30 Apr. 2022 To put it bluntly, armed with this information, members of Congress could potentially enter or exit a market position in relative calm before any market storm. Paul Andrews, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2022 Unfortunately, that event happened in the calm before the Delta storm, which meant the 2021 fest got pushed from Labor Day Weekend 2021 to June 2022. al, 16 Mar. 2022 Two sisters, Georgina O Briain and Caragh Lawlor, sat in the calm of Solas Bhride’s central prayer space on Saint Brigid’s Day, quietly weaving rush crosses. New York Times, 11 Mar. 2022 Verb
The second horse became agitated, Grandy said, until the owners were able to calm it down. John Hilliard, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Sep. 2022 At some point Jackson and his girlfriend got into an argument, and the victim then took Jackson outside to calm him down, investigators said. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2022 Model self-compassion by speaking out loud, or use it silently to calm yourself. Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2022 The people around Hannons and Jordan tried to calm them down again. Kelan Lyons, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2022 The formula includes kaolin clay to exfoliate and lavender and tea tree essential oils to calm the skin. ELLE, 22 July 2022 Our actions might not exactly go as planned, so Montúfar advises us to calm ourselves a bit and go with the flow. Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 3 July 2022 Mature skin is generally on the dryer side, so dermatologists recommend similar ingredients, such as moisturizing oils to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and shea butter to calm thirsty skin. Nikhita Mahtani, SELF, 14 June 2022 This deep-cleaning formula also contains soothing ingredients like allantoin, which helps to calm irritated skin, and vitamin B5 to nourish and protect. Cristina Montemayor, Men's Health, 13 June 2022 Adjective
There is a 30% chance of rain and winds will be calm. Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 2 Sep. 2022 Winds that had pushed the fire Wednesday were more calm overnight and on Thursday morning. San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 But parents were calm and things were running smoothly just 20 minutes out from when classes began that morning. Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Aug. 2022 This is a time for being calm and not speculating and certainly not providing rhetoric that suggests that civil war or taking up arms is necessary. ABC News, 14 Aug. 2022 The office also suggests that spectators move to higher ground when winds are calm. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Aug. 2022 Police managed to find the home and, upon officers’ arrival, found the home to be calm. cleveland, 10 Aug. 2022 Winds will be calm most of the day, kicking up to about 6 mph later in the afternoon. oregonlive, 10 Aug. 2022 Be cool, be calm, ask good questions, and let your in-laws see your sparkle. Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun, Verb, and Adjective
Middle English calme, probably ultimately from Old Spanish calma, from Late Latin cauma heat, from Greek kauma, from kaiein to burn
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing calm
Kids Definition
calm 1 of 3
noun
ˈkäm
ˈkälm
1
: a period or condition of freedom from storm, wind, or rough water
2
: a quiet and peaceful state
We enjoyed the calm of the countryside.
calm
2 of 3verb
calmed; calming
: to make or become less active or disturbed —often used with down
The music calmed her.The winds calmed down overnight.
calm
3 of 3adjective
calmer; calmest
1
: not stormy or windy
a calm night
2
: not excited or upset
a calm reply
Please remain calm.
calm 1 of 3
adjective
1
as in quiet
free from storms or physical disturbance after a stormy night of high winds and driving rains, the day dawned on a calm sea Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- quiet
- tranquil
- serene
- peaceful
- placid
- hushed
- still
- gentle
- untroubled
- sunny
- halcyon
- clear
- mild
- temperate
- equable
- lown
- moderate
- clement
- stilly
- balmy
- cloudless
- windless
- sunshiny
- fair
- rainless
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- angry
- agitated
- turbulent
- restless
- unsettled
- stormy
- rough
- unquiet
- tempestuous
- inclement
- windy
- blustery
- extreme
- severe
- intemperate
- squally
- nasty
- foul
- blizzardy
- blizzardly
2
as in serene
free from emotional or mental agitation bystanders tried to help the injured person remain calm while they waited for the ambulance to arrive Synonyms & Similar Words
- serene
- peaceful
- tranquil
- composed
- placid
- collected
- unruffled
- smooth
- undisturbed
- unperturbed
- sedate
- steady
- cool
- confident
- relaxed
- untroubled
- possessed
- unworried
- unshaken
- at peace
- together
- mellow
- limpid
- recollected
- coolheaded
- level
- centered
- relieved
- self-possessed
- nonchalant
- unflappable
- imperturbable
- self-composed
- equal
- equable
- tranquilized
- detached
- easygoing
- even-keeled
- unshakable
- carefree
- tranquillized
- sober
- aloof
- dispassionate
- disciplined
- assured
- affable
- phlegmatic
- breezy
- even
- unconcerned
- laid-back
- well-balanced
- nerveless
- well-adjusted
- impassive
- self-controlled
- indifferent
- stolid
- self-assured
- happy-go-lucky
- loosey-goosey
- bovine
- devil-may-care
- self-contained
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- disturbed
- agitated
- upset
- anxious
- perturbed
- flustered
- nervous
- uneasy
- unsettled
- unquiet
- distressed
- restless
- unstrung
- worried
- unglued
- tense
- jittery
- unhinged
- jumpy
- bothered
- discomposed
- unstable
- uptight
- skittish
- high-strung
3
as in peaceful
free from disturbing noise or uproar the room became much calmer once the rowdy tour group had left Synonyms & Similar Words
- quiet
- peaceful
- serene
- placid
- tranquil
- restful
- quieted
- hushed
- silent
- still
- arcadian
- noiseless
- gentle
- stilly
- soft
- motionless
- mute
- quiescent
- muted
- soundless
- speechless
- wordless
- muffled
- dull
- dead
- low
- ultraquiet
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- loud
- boisterous
- unquiet
- noisy
- tumultuous
- rowdy
- raucous
- clamorous
- deafening
- wild
- tempestuous
- crazy
- uproarious
- woolly
- roistering
- wooly
- romping
- clattery
- rip-roaring
- thunderous
- roaring
- booming
- piercing
- thundering
- earsplitting
- blasting
- blaring
calm
2 of 3noun
1
as in restfulness
a state of freedom from storm or disturbance vacationing city dwellers who are tired of the hustle and bustle enjoy the calm of the secluded mountain village Synonyms & Similar Words
- quiet
- restfulness
- serenity
- sereneness
- quietness
- calmness
- tranquility
- quietude
- peace
- peacefulness
- hush
- tranquillity
- silence
- still
- placidity
- stillness
- lull
- repose
- respite
- pause
- harmony
- concord
- relaxedness
- mildness
- comity
- informality
- soothingness
- casualness
- easygoingness
- laid-backness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- commotion
- turmoil
- unrest
- pandemonium
- bustle
- tumult
- hubbub
- noise
- uproar
- unquietness
- hurly-burly
- clamor
- din
- racket
2
as in peace
freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions the batter always exudes an aura of calm, even in clutch situations Synonyms & Similar Words
- peace
- peacefulness
- serenity
- calmness
- ease
- sereneness
- tranquility
- tranquillity
- placidity
- heartsease
- quiet
- contentment
- comfort
- relief
- solace
- quietude
- content
- consolation
- repose
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- anxiety
- agitation
- apprehension
- uneasiness
- anguish
- alarm
- stress
- concern
- tension
- worry
- care
- perturbation
- vexation
- disturbance
- anxiousness
- distress
- nervousness
- strain
- fear
- upset
- discomfort
- apprehensiveness
- tenseness
- desperation
- distraction
- uncertainty
- dismay
- alarum
- torment
- consternation
- jitters
- suspense
- doubt
- desperateness
- foreboding
- discomposure
- jumpiness
- dread
- edginess
- fearfulness
- misgiving
- presentiment
- incertitude
calm
3 of 3verb
1
as in to soothe
to free from distress or disturbance the president's reassuring words did much to calm the public during the national emergency Synonyms & Similar Words
- soothe
- quiet
- lull
- compose
- relax
- appease
- still
- tranquilize
- quieten
- becalm
- lullaby
- salve
- settle
- tranquillize
- hush
- pacify
- ease
- relieve
- quell
- placate
- sedate
- mollify
- conciliate
- solace
- allay
- alleviate
- assuage
- mitigate
- lay
- stupefy
- narcotize
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- upset
- disturb
- perturb
- agitate
- intensify
- disquiet
- heighten
- aggravate
- vex
- key (up)
- rouse
- arouse
- discompose
- stir (up)
- incite
- excite
- foment
- work up
2
as in to contain
to gain emotional or mental control of he calmed himself before continuing the eulogy Synonyms & Similar Words
- contain
- compose
- control
- restrain
- quiet
- collect
- settle
- re-collect
- soothe
- lull
- hold back
- recover
- still
- rally
- tranquilize
- tranquillize
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of calm are peaceful, placid, serene, and tranquil. While all these words mean "quiet and free from disturbance," calm often implies a contrast with a foregoing or nearby state of agitation or violence.
the protests ended, and the streets were calm again
In some situations, the words peaceful and calm are roughly equivalent. However, peaceful implies a state of repose in contrast with or following strife or turmoil.
grown peaceful in old age
The words placid and calm can be used in similar contexts, but placid suggests an undisturbed appearance and often implies a degree of complacency.
remained placid despite the criticism
Although the words serene and calm have much in common, serene stresses an unclouded and lofty tranquility.
watched the sunset of a serene summer's evening
The synonyms tranquil and calm are sometimes interchangeable, but tranquil suggests a very deep quietude or composure.
the tranquil beauty of a formal garden