Synonyms

keep the peace

Idioms

Maintain public order; prevent strife. For example, President Clinton ordered troops to Bosnia to keep the peace. This expression dates from the 1400s and was originally used more in the first sense, that is, of police keeping public order. It gained extra currency in the second half of the 1900s when military forces were sent to diverse places—Lebanon, Haiti, Bosnia—to stop warring factions.

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.

Zelensky said Trump's team were welcome to come to Kyiv, then shuttle to Moscow, to keep the peace process alive.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

The U.S. is banking on Rodriguez to keep the peace.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

But it would also keep the peace, making it harder for ICE to escalate conflicts with the community, while reducing feelings of frustration for activists.

From Salon • Jan. 28, 2026

Here's how to deal with festive fallouts and keep the peace this Christmas.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025

For it’s meant to keep the peace, you know.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

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