serenity
Americannoun
plural
serenities-
the state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil; sereneness.
- Synonyms:
- peace, peacefulness, calm, composure
- Antonyms:
- agitation
-
(usually initial capital letter) a title of honor, respect, or reverence, used in speaking of or to certain members of royalty (usually preceded by his, your, etc.).
noun
-
the state or quality of being serene
-
(often capital) a title of honour used of certain royal personages: preceded by his, her, etc
Other Word Forms
- overserenity noun
Etymology
Origin of serenity
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English serenite, from Latin serēnitās; serene ( def. ), -ity ( def. )
Explanation
The goal of meditation is to reach a state of serenity, when your mind is still and perfectly calm. Use serenity to mean the quality or state of being calm and peaceful. It is hard to believe that the ocean, whipped by winds during a storm, can ever return to a state of serenity, where its surface looks as smooth as glass. And if you're babysitting your neighbor's rowdy triplets, you might long for the serenity of your quiet bedroom. Serenity is from the Latin serenus, meaning "calm or peaceful," plus the English suffix -ity, meaning "quality or state of."
Vocabulary lists containing serenity
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 1
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100 SAT words Beginning with "S"
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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.
"I am not an impetuous person. I think things through. I have the serenity not to lose it under tension and under pressure. I consult. I hear. And I am brave. I take risks."
From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026
As chaos continues to reign for United, there remains a calmness and serenity on the blue half of the Manchester divide.
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026
Let the sky slather your spirit with serenity.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025
Heyward’s quatrains mingle hope and irony, serenity and unease.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025
And the lives of these old black women were synthesized in their eyes—a puree of tragedy and humor, wickedness and serenity, truth and fantasy.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
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.
