sangfroid

Cultural  

1. Composure in the face of difficulty or danger: “We would all be dead today if our bus driver hadn't kept his sangfroid when the bus began to skid on the ice.” From French, meaning “cold blood.”

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Example Sentences

The pilots, accustomed to the high pressure of front-line combat, reacted with sangfroid.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

Desirée is at the eye of the musical’s romantic hurricane, and Dandridge captures the character’s sangfroid in the midst of chaos.

From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2023

Alcaraz is imbued with boundless enthusiasm and energy, not to mention skill, speed, stamina and sangfroid.

From Washington Times • Sep. 11, 2022

Avani, who was nervous on stage two years ago and misspelled a word she knew, used the time off to embrace sangfroid — “which means calm,” she explained, because she’s a speller.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 4, 2021

“What I’m doing is absolutely appropriate, and you know it,” I said, trying to keep my voice low but unable to preserve my sangfroid.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover