calm

Formscalms, calming, calmed

Pluralcalms (some meanings)

1. 1
   not upsetadjective

   Quiet and at peace, especially untroubled by anger or anxiety.

   Despite the chaos around her, she remained calm and focused.

   A calm reply defused the argument before it could escalate.

   UsageOften stay calm, keep calm or remain calm. For how someone acts, use calmly: she spoke calmly.

   Similarcomposed, collected, serene, unruffled, relaxed

   Oppositenervous, anxious, stressed

2. 2
   sootheverbtransitive

   To make someone or something peaceful and free from worry or agitation, or to become so; often with down.

   The nurse spoke softly to calm the frightened patient.

   He played quiet music to calm his nerves before the exam.

   UsageOften calm down: calm a child down, or just calm down. Also calm your nerves.

   Similarsoothe, settle, pacify, steady, quiet

   Oppositeagitate, upset, alarm, disturb

   Note

   The transitive verb takes almost any object that can be stirred up: a crying baby, the passions, even the sea. John Dryden's dedication to his translation of Virgil (1697) speaks of calming "the tempest raised by Aeolus". People, feelings and weather all fit, which matches the range of the adjective.

3. 3
   peace of mindnoununcountable

   The state of being peaceful: free from worry, anger, fear, or other strong negative emotion.

   He spoke with a calm that reassured everyone present.

   Meditation helped her recover a sense of calm after difficult days.

   UsageOften a sense of calm or inner calm: feel a sense of calm.

   Similarcomposure, serenity, peace, tranquility, equanimity

   Oppositeanxiety, agitation, panic, turmoil

   Note

   A noun for an inner state, and one that poetry borrows from the sea. In Canto XI of In Memoriam, Tennyson sets "calm on the seas" beside "dead calm in that noble breast". The breast "heaves but with the heaving deep", so the stillness of the windless calm becomes the stillness of a body moved only by the waves. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

   • Tennyson wrote In Memoriam, whose Section XI contains the quoted lines. rpo.library.utoronto.ca
   • Section XI juxtaposes “calm on the seas” and “dead calm in that noble breast”, followed by “heaves but with the heaving deep”. rpo.library.utoronto.ca
   • The breast belongs to a dead body being transported by sea, so its movement comes from the waves. rpo.library.utoronto.ca
4. 4
   quiet placeadjective

   Quiet and undisturbed, free of noise and commotion.

   After the guests left, the house felt calm again.

   They chose a calm corner of the café to talk things over.

   UsageCompares as calmer and calmest, though more calm also occurs.

   Similarquiet, peaceful, tranquil, still, restful

   Oppositedisturbed

   Note

   Here the stillness belongs to a place or a moment rather than a mind. In Canto XI of Tennyson's In Memoriam (1850), the line "Calm is the morn without a sound, / Calm as to suit a calmer grief" moves from a morning to a grief within two lines. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

   • Alfred Tennyson wrote In Memoriam, first published in 1850. en.wikisource.org
   • Canto XI contains the quoted words in consecutive lines, moving from the morning to grief. en.wikisource.org
5. 5
   smooth (water)adjective

   Of the weather, free from wind and storms; of the sea or other water, smooth and still.

   The sea was calm enough to see our reflections in it.

   They paddled across the calm surface of the pond.

   Similarstill, smooth, tranquil, placid, peaceful

   Oppositerough, stormy, choppy, windy

6. 6
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The state of being quiet: the absence of noise and disturbance.

   The calm of the empty church was deeply soothing.

   Night brought a calm that the busy day had lacked.

   UsageOften the calm of a place or time: the calm of the church.

   Similarpeace, quiet, stillness, tranquility, hush

   Oppositenoise, commotion, bustle, uproar

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