stoic
1 of 2noun
stoic
2 of 2adjective
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What is the origin of stoic?
Zeno of Citium, born in Cyprus in the 4th century B.C.E., traveled to Athens while a young man and studied with the important philosophers of the day, among them two influential Cynics. He eventually arrived at his own philosophy and began teaching at a public hall called the Stoa Poikile. Zeno's philosophy, Stoicism, took its name from the hall where he taught, and it preached self-control, fortitude, and justice; passion was seen as the cause of all evil. By the 14th century, English speakers had adopted the word stoic as a general term for anyone who could face adversity calmly and without excess emotion. By the 15th century, we'd also begun using it as an adjective meaning "not affected by or showing passion or feeling."
Synonyms
Adjective
- forbearing
- long-suffering
- patient
- tolerant
- uncomplaining
Example Sentences
Austin Murphy, Sports Illustrated, 27 Nov. 2006 The philosophical implications of this claim are as volcanic as the emotions it depicts, for Nussbaum here counters an age-old view espoused by Stoics, Christians and Kantians, alike: emotions are disruptive and subversive to reason, they arise from parochial needs and interests and therefore the life well lived is the life in which the things of this world are left behind for a higher sphere beyond accident, pain and desire. Wendy Steiner, New York Times Book Review, 18 Nov. 2001 Whereas Ludwig Wittgenstein once compared philosophers to garbage men sweeping the mind clean of wrongheaded concepts, Nussbaum believes they should be "lawyers for humanity"—a phrase she borrows from Seneca, her favorite Stoic thinker. Robert S. Boynton, New York Times Magazine, 21 Nov. 1999 Adjective My stoic Serbian brother-in-law, Aleksandar Vasilic, gave me the ultimate confidence booster of bawling all the way through the manuscript when I gave it to him to read. Helene Cooper, The House At Sugar Beach, (2008) 2009 Grant recorded his thought-experiment when he was an old man dying of cancer, who in spite of his pain had managed to achieve a stoical serenity. Jackson Lears, New Republic, 9 & 16 Sept. 2002 As it flew past the pole, a three-run homer, Richardson saw the stoical Berra do something he'd never seen him do. "Halfway between home and first, he was jumping up and down," Richardson recalls. "Boy, was he happy to hit that ball!" William Nack, Sports Illustrated, 23 Oct. 2000 He had a stoic expression on his face. after waiting six years for permission to immigrate to the U.S., the family is stoic about a six-month postponement See More Holly Jones, Variety, 11 July 2022 In an interview less than a week after his return, Vlad adopted the same stoic, determined manner as his father. Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 16 July 2022 By investing in character development and strategy developed off the diamond, the film embraces the stoic, reserved nature of Pitt's character. Derek Scancarelli, EW.com, 7 July 2022 Jenner, typically the most stoic of the Kardashian-Jenners, completely lost her cool. Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 14 May 2022 Inspired by Minhwa, a traditional Korean folk art, the brilliant creations awed the most stoic of fashion arbiters. Fawnia Soo Hoo, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Apr. 2022 But this isn’t a staid, academic philosopher—not a stoic. Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022 Anthony was the bad boy in season 1, in many ways the shagging, chaotic, antithesis of the stoic, simmering Duke. Holly Thomas, CNN, 25 Mar. 2022 The short, scrawny boy was bullied, driving him to take up judo and sambo, a Soviet martial art that teaches participants to remain stoic even in the face of great pain. The Week Staff, The Week, 20 Mar. 2022 Annie Martin, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Sep. 2022 In shows like The Lone Ranger and Gunsmoke, Indians were stoic, comically impassive, sphynxlike. David Treuer, The Atlantic, 1 Aug. 2022 To have Dream, a.k.a. Morpheus — a sort of stoic, godlike lead character — at the center of a story is a challenge in itself. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2022 When The Rings of Power begins, Gil-galad is a stoic and ageless leader, ruling over the golden elven realm of Lindon. Devan Coggan, EW.com, 2 Aug. 2022 His brand of quotable, look-at-me flamboyance has long gone out of fashion in the U.S., where baseball managers are more stoic than ever. Andrew Beaton, WSJ, 20 May 2022 But Williams' facial expression was stoic with his abrupt response about why his team's most efficient offensive player during this playoffs, Deandre Ayton, played just 17 minutes in their most important game of the year. Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 16 May 2022 Meanwhile, Pattinson appears stoic in a wool coat and dark suit for scenes as Bruce Wayne. Savannah Walsh, ELLE, 12 Oct. 2020 Some were stoic while others had tears welling in their eyes. Christine Fernando, USA TODAY, 24 June 2022 See More Word History
Noun and Adjective
Middle English, from Latin stoicus, from Greek stōïkos, literally, of the portico, from Stoa (Poikilē) the Painted Portico, portico at Athens where Zeno taught
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
stoic
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- patient
- uncomplaining
- resigned
- restrained
- forbearing
- tolerant
- obliging
- constrained
- long-suffering
- passive
- docile
- amiable
- acquiescent
- obedient
- submissive
- composed
- conformist
- lenient
- subordinate
- tractable
- collected
- compliant
- repressed
- placable
- uncaring
- subservient
- contained
- apathetic
- law-abiding
- unresponsive
- slavish
- inhibited
- complying
- yielding
- unresistant
- amenable
- willing
- self-controlled
- curbed
- agreeable
- disciplined
- self-contained
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- impatient
- complaining
- protesting
- defiant
- weary
- fed up
- bored
- resistant
- tired
- kvetchy
- rebellious
- kvetching
- recalcitrant
- intractable
- refractory
- disobedient
- contrary
- insubordinate
- unmanageable
- unruly
- ungovernable
Synonyms & Similar Words
- numb
- calm
- stolid
- impassive
- emotionless
- phlegmatic
- unemotional
- undemonstrative
- passionless
- enigmatic
- apathetic
- detached
- affectless
- impassible
- composed
- taciturn
- unflappable
- dispassionate
- enigmatical
- imperturbable
- vacant
- unmoved
- cold
- reserved
- expressionless
- empty
- aloof
- deadpan
- cold-blooded
- blank
- inexpressive
- bland
- wooden
- collected
- stone-faced
- inscrutable
- unsentimental
- reticent
- dry
- pitiless
- indifferent
- unconcerned
- impersonal
- straight-faced
- unresponsive
- cool
- unfeeling
- impenetrable
- thoughtless
- bloodless
- objective
- inconsiderate
- hard-hearted
- insensible
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- emotional
- passionate
- impassioned
- demonstrative
- fervent
- vehement
- enthusiastic
- fervid
- passional
- fiery
- zealous
- ardent
- sentimental
- sympathetic
- dramatic
- hot-blooded
- compassionate
- flaming
- melodramatic
- burning
- glowing
- blazing
- mawkish
- maudlin
- mushy
- gung ho
- histrionic
- reactive
- sensitive
- responsive
- overemotional
- perfervid
- gushing
- warm-blooded
- overheated
- red-hot
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of stoic are apathetic, impassive, phlegmatic, and stolid. While all these words mean "unresponsive to something that might normally excite interest or emotion," stoic implies an apparent indifference to pleasure or especially to pain often as a matter of principle or self-discipline.
The synonyms apathetic and stoic are sometimes interchangeable, but apathetic may imply a puzzling or deplorable indifference or inertness.
The words impassive and stoic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impassive stresses the absence of any external sign of emotion in action or facial expression.
While in some cases nearly identical to stoic, phlegmatic implies a temperament or constitution hard to arouse.
While the synonyms stolid and stoic are close in meaning, stolid implies a habitual absence of interest, responsiveness, or curiosity.