stillness

American  

[stil-nis] / ˈstɪl nɪs /

noun

1. silence; quiet; hush.

2. 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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stillness

So scientists anchor the world’s coordinates to far-off stillness: quasars, the luminous cores of galaxies billions of light-years away, observed nightly by radio telescopes across multiple continents and cross-checked with lasers bounced off satellites.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Her comedic jabs at the American economy and humorous reflections juxtapose somber moments of stillness in the midst of her struggles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 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

But even here, the stillness is partial at best.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026

Yakov, in comparison, had been like a mountain lake, its stillness a guise for its cold and vast depth.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• calmness
• hush
• serenity
• tranquility