serene
Americanadjective
-
calm, peaceful, or tranquil; unruffled.
a serene landscape;
serene old age.
- Synonyms:
- collected, composed, unperturbed, imperturbable, undisturbed
- Antonyms:
- disturbed
-
serene weather.
- Synonyms:
- unclouded
- Antonyms:
- clouded
-
Usually Serene most high or august (used as a royal epithet, usually preceded by his, your, etc.).
His Serene Highness.
noun
-
the serene of early morning at the lake.
-
Archaic. a clear or tranquil expanse of sea or sky.
adjective
-
peaceful or tranquil; calm
-
clear or bright
a serene sky
-
(often capital) honoured: used as part of certain royal titles
His Serene Highness
Related Words
See peaceful.
Other Word Forms
- overserene adjective
- overserenely adverb
- serenely adverb
- sereneness noun
- unserene adjective
- unserenely adverb
- unsereneness noun
Etymology
Origin of serene
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English, from Old French serein and Latin serēnus (of the sky, weather) “clear, unclouded”
Explanation
Choose the adjective serene to describe someone who is calm and untroubled. If you tell someone horrible news and they remain serene, you might wonder if they heard you! Related to the Latin word serenus "peaceful, calm, clear," serene was originally used in English, as in Latin, to describe calm weather. By the mid 1600s, however, it was used figuratively to describe a calm, untroubled person as well. Though people show their emotions pretty openly today, Victorian novels are full of characters who remain serene no matter how terrible the news.
Vocabulary lists containing serene
List 4
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Emotions on Display
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Mellow Out: Synonyms for "Calm"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The listing described the abode as a serene spot where “timeless elegance and modern convenience blend seamlessly in the heart of Beverly Hills.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
Daedone, who wore tan jail garb and leg shackles, looked serene throughout the proceeding.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
Sabalenka, 27, has won the US Open in each of the past two years and looks in serene form.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026
Stocks, oil, and gold have endured wild swings in recent days but cryptocurrencies, of all assets, have remained fairly serene amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026
Her serene expression reminded me of Mo's back in Kurnugi.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
