stillness
Americannoun
-
silence; quiet; hush.
-
the absence of motion.
Etymology
Origin of stillness
before 1000; Middle English stilnesse, Old English stilnes. See still 1, -ness
Explanation
Stillness is a calm, quiet, motionless state. As you look out at the lake, the stillness of the water is a sign that you should take out the canoe rather than the sailboat. When there's stillness, you can hear very few sounds and see very little movement. The stillness of a quiet mountain cabin may be just the escape you need from the busy, noisy city — although you may find that stillness to be a little spooky at night. You can also use this word for a more specific example of motionlessness: "The butterfly's stillness allowed me to get a good look at its beautiful wings."
Vocabulary lists containing stillness
myPerspectives 7.4
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The Suffix -ness, Part 1
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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.
The COVID-19 pandemic gave Korkejian the stillness to undertake it.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026
It's a remarkable moment of stillness in a concert that's largely a colourful, career-spanning celebration.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
Brands never lets his subject tarry long enough to freeze into marmoreal stillness.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
But no voice calls, no birds sing; the stillness is untroubled by any living creature save one.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
At last the woods rose; the rookery clustered dark; a loud cawing broke the morning stillness.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
