calm
Americanadjective
-
calmer,
comparative
-
calmest
superlative
-
without rough motion; still or nearly still.
a calm sea.
- Synonyms:
- motionless, quiet
-
not windy or stormy.
a calm day.
- Antonyms:
- tempestuous
-
free from excitement or passion; tranquil.
a calm face;
a calm manner.
- Synonyms:
- self-possessed, serene, unruffled, placid
- Antonyms:
- agitated
noun
-
freedom from motion or disturbance; stillness.
-
Meteorology. wind speed of less than 1 mile per hour (0.447 meter per second).
-
freedom from agitation, excitement, or passion; tranquility; serenity.
We look forward to the calm of the island after the summer residents have all returned to the mainland.
She faced the possibility of death with complete calm.
verb (used with object)
-
calms,
present (3rd person singular)
-
calmed,
past participle, past
-
calming
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
calms,
present (3rd person singular)
-
calmed,
past participle, past
-
calming
present participle
idioms
adjective
-
almost without motion; still
a calm sea
-
meteorol of force 0 on the Beaufort scale; without wind
-
not disturbed, agitated, or excited; under control
he stayed calm throughout the confusion
-
tranquil; serene
a calm voice
noun
-
an absence of disturbance or rough motion; stillness
-
absence of wind
-
tranquillity
verb
Usage
What does calm mean? Calm describes something that is still or barely moving, like a pond or a lake. Calm can also describe something that is relaxed or free from excitement, as in Yolanda felt calmer after meditating for a few minutes. Calm can also be used to describe the weather. A calm day isn’t windy or stormy. In meteorology, calm is a wind speed that is less than 1 mile per hour. As a noun, calm typically describes a lack of motion or a stillness in an area where there once was motion or there will be motion. Calm can also describe a notable lack of excitement or agitation that was expected to be caused, as in Roberta believed the only way to approach a big task was with calm and patience. Finally, as a verb, to calm something or someone means to bring it to a pause. You might calm your barking dog by petting it and talking to it in a soothing voice. You might calm an angry friend by talking with them quietly and listening to what’s bothering them. Example: When you feel nervous in front of a crowd, try to look calm and you’ll soon feel calm.
Synonym Usage
Calm, collected, composed, cool imply the absence of agitation. Calm implies an unruffled state, especially under disturbing conditions: calm in a crisis. Collected implies complete inner command of oneself, usually as the result of an effort: He remained collected in spite of the excitement. One who is composed has or has gained dignified self-possession: pale but composed. Cool implies clarity of judgment along with apparent absence of strong feeling or excitement, especially in circumstances of danger or strain: so cool that he seemed calm.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
calmsimple
-
calmssimple
-
have calmedperfect
-
has calmedperfect
-
am calmingprogressive
-
are calmingprogressive
-
is calmingprogressive
-
have been calmingperfect progressive
-
has been calmingperfect progressive
Past
-
calmedsimple
-
had calmedperfect
-
was calmingprogressive
-
were calmingprogressive
-
had been calmingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of calm
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun and adjective calm(e), from Italian calma (noun), calmo (adjective), from Late Latin cauma “summer heat” (with l perhaps from Latin calēre “to be hot”), from Greek kaûma (stem kaumat- ) “burning heat”; akin to kaíein “to burn” ( see caustic); verb derivative of the noun
Explanation
Just saying the word calm reminds you of how it feels to be calm — steady, at rest, not agitated, chilled out, caaaaalllmmmm. Waters without waves? People without drama? Sounds calm. Some synonyms of the adjective calm are peaceful and even-tempered. As a verb, it describes making someone steady and still — in other words, calm. Taking a walk or calling a friend might help you calm down when you are upset. As a noun, calm is a state of peace or stillness — the calm of your neighborhood at daybreak or the calm you seek when you exercise.
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.
See Examples For:
“Their mothers were trying to calm them but it was impossible.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
He's always calm, a calming and connecting influence.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
The waters are pretty calm around that time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
That tells me the bond market is becoming much more skeptical of leveraged and speculative borrowers while higher-quality corporate credit remains relatively calm.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
Struggling for calm, Torak forced himself to study the trail.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Day-two trading in Corteva stock after the Vylor spinoff is calmer than day one.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
By Thursday, we are expecting high pressure to build, so it should be calmer and drier, and by Friday the north-west becomes the focus for any showers.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
Slower breathing and a calmer cardiovascular state, by contrast, may encourage a more positive assessment of potential outcomes and make people more willing to take risks.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
Nasdaq futures led major U.S. indexes amid calmer premarket trade in artificial-intelligence-related stocks after recent volatility.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
He hoped he sounded calmer than he felt.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
It was the man that mattered most who appeared the calmest of all.
From BBC ● Jan. 7, 2026
Jess, on loan from a friend in Scotland with a falconry center, was accustomed to people, so she was featured in Mabel’s calmest moments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2025
But the abrupt end of the calmest stretch in years rattled traders and left many betting that the swings will continue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2025
Tesla is a silly company in stock market terms, even in the calmest of times.
From Slate ● Jul. 8, 2025
Doc had told me that I had to bring my calmest self to the magic.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
He even calms people that think they don’t like dogs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
At the same time, your brain’s amygdala, or fear and emotion center, calms down and its prefrontal cortex, which governs rational thought, amps up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
Her approach, it was claimed, "inflames rather than calms a situation" and "creates a culture of fear and anxiety".
From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2026
"It calms me down a lot and helps me to relax a little," he said.
From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026
“His heart’s beating as fast as a woodpecker drills. Let’s go inside until he calms down.”
From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
Orelien has promised to produce proof that he wrote the book himself and to speak out in detail "once things have calmed down".
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
While Williams’s less hawkish remarks have calmed U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Separately, the rising cost of renting has calmed recently.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Everyone knew their fellow New Yorkers needed a bit of a break, and for a short period, the usual din of the city calmed to a whisper.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
After a few moments Gum Baby calmed down and sniffled.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
Last year I got off of social media, and it was calming.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
According to the OIG report, between July 2025 and January 2026, the facility kept 79 immigrants in the small metal enclosures, describing them as "calming areas" for people to "deescalate and have time alone".
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Amid changes in personnel given the absence of Stokes, Root, who was Test captain from 2017 to 2022, has brought a calming presence to the role.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
The experience: Varied based on practitioner, but we found it to be overall a deeply relaxing and calming treatment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
I stood in the stuffy hall that smelled a little like bleach, closed my eyes, and breathed deep, calming myself down.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
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.
