composed
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See calm.
Other Word Forms
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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Dragon Hoops
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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.
These two plastics are composed entirely of carbon-hydrogen bonds and are chemically resistant under alkaline conditions.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026
But that sounds more composed than I actually feel.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
Oddie composed a number of comic songs for the series, often parodies of contemporary pop music.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
“A Sad and Beautiful World” isn’t perfect either, but despite its background of urban destruction, it’s a quietly composed look at the fragile bond between two very different interior selves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
My father composed himself when Amy reentered the room, but when she turned to open the refrigerator door, he acted as though she were tossing a lit match into the gas tank of his Porsche.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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.
