placidly

[ plas-id-lee ]

adverb

1. in a calm or peaceful manner; tranquilly:

   The mural brings to life a world where mammoths still embark on ancient migrations, where giant ground sloths browse placidly, where saber-toothed tigers stalk their prey.

2. in a way that shows a lack of energy or concern:

   After playing fairly placidly in the first quarter and ending down three goals, the girls entered the second quarter with stronger, more dynamic play.

Other Words From

• un·plac·id·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of placidly¹

placid ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Of course the Lady Regent of the Vale was standing placidly beside the open Moon Door, the wind rustling her robes.

From The Daily Beast

She placidly tells people she is dreaming until her frantic father finds her again and loses his temper.

From The Daily Beast

Gun smoke lay in placidly moving layers of gray before the light beams.

From Project Gutenberg

"I wonder where we shall all be six years from now," said Constance, placidly eating her ice.

From Project Gutenberg

But her flow of small talk, the conversational stop-gap of the woman accustomed to social amenities, went on placidly.

From Project Gutenberg

The hired man went howling through the woods, and she returned to the house, smiling placidly.

From Project Gutenberg

Then she glanced up, and caught sight of where I lay, placidly reposing on the mantel-piece with my eyes turned up to the ceiling.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• constantly
• smoothly
• steadily
• uniformly

More About Placidly

What does placidly mean?

Placidly means in a way that is placid—calm, peaceful, or quiet.

Placid is used to describe things that have a calm appearance or a calm nature, such as a placid pond whose surface is perfectly still.

When placid is used to describe people, it can mean that they’re very calm and even-tempered. However, placid can also mean showing a lack of energy or concern. Saying that a person is acting placidly in this way is often done to criticize them for not caring enough to take action in a situation that calls for action to be taken, as in You shouldn’t accept defeat so placidly. 

Example: Rex is the calmest dog I’ve ever had—he acts so placidly, even around strangers.

Where does placidly come from?

The first records of the word placidly come from the 1630s. Its base word, placid, comes from the Latin placidus, meaning “calm” or “quiet,” from the Latin verb placēre, “to please” (or, originally, “to calm”). The suffix -ly is used to form adverbs.

When placidly is used to describe the actions of a person, it can mean “too calm.” Using the word this way implies that a person should be much less calm or unconcerned than they are.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to placidly?

• placid (adjective)

What are some synonyms for placidly?

• tranquilly
• peacefully
• serenely
• calmly
• passively

What are some words that share a root or word element with placidly? 

• Lake Placid
• please

What are some words that often get used in discussing placidly?

• calm
• behave
• act
• accept
• respond

How is placidly used in real life?

Placidly can be used in both positive and negative ways. When it is used negatively, it often implies criticism of a person who should be more concerned about what is happening.

Thanks to Beth and Katelyn at @milwaukeekayak for a great morning paddle today. If only every work day could start off so placidly. pic.twitter.com/gsR7TKjqnF

— Scott Silet (@ssilet) July 2, 2020

today started out so placidly & then turned into a rollercoaster. like, Six Flags Great Adventure rollercoaster-worthy! fun but… @_@

— Eva Chen (@evachen212) April 19, 2012

“I did not kiss that church’s judgment goodbye so I could placidly accept anyone else’s.” https://t.co/Km6GEULyfj

— Zach Thompson (@zthomp) July 14, 2019

 

 

Try using placidly!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of placidly?

A. peacefully
B. anxiously
C. serenely
D. tranquilly