composed
Americanadjective
adjective
Related Words
See calm.
Other Word Forms
- composedly adverb
- composedness noun
- uncomposed adjective
- well-composed adjective
Etymology
Origin of composed
Explanation
The adjective composed describes someone who is calm and shows no nervousness or agitation. You may be very upset about your brother’s unkind remark, but your composed face doesn’t give away your feelings. If you’re composed, that means you're free of emotion or nervousness — or at least you look that way. Composed typically describes an outward appearance, so you could be angry on the inside but still maintain a composed manner that hides what you’re really feeling. You’ll often hear the word used to describe someone who can keep everything under control during times of stress. You probably look composed even when you’re stressing out over your calculus exam.
Vocabulary lists containing composed
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
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Mellow Out: Synonyms for "Calm"
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The Miracle Worker
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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.
Sonza reflected on "Brutal Paraiso," an album she composed to "talk about life and its difficulties and beauties."
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
The ability to create and maintain reactive intermediate molecules in water also brings scientists closer to replicating the chemistry that naturally occurs inside living cells, which are mostly composed of water.
From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026
The novellas are composed of nested stories inspired by Scheherazade’s tales in “One Thousand and One Nights.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
The list is eclectic and unexpected, composed of some of the museum’s greatest hits as well as quieter pieces susceptible to being overlooked.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
I composed a million of them in my head, but nothing seemed right.
From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence
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.
