calm before the storm

American

[kahm bi-fawr thuh stawrm, kahlm] / ˈkɑm bɪˈfɔr ðə ˈstɔrm, ˈkɑlm /

Also lull before the storm

idiom

a lull or temporary period of quiet before a tumultuous event, such as a storm or an episode of excitement, activity, violence, etc..

The evening was very pleasant, and it was surprising to see no one taking advantage of the calm before the storm.
April felt like the calm before the storm as my calendar for May through July has very quickly filled up with concerts, visitors, and trips.

First recorded in 1600–10

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

calm before the storm

Now, it looks like the calm before the storm.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

His music was both the calm before the storm and the tool needed to find peace in the middle of it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2024

"It's not that they're not going to be a problem, it's just the calm before the storm."

From Science Daily ● Mar. 6, 2024

In a few decades, we'll look back on 2023 as the calm before the storm, when life was still fairly normal.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2023

It was the calm before the storm: The air becomes still.

From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023