Stoic
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the school of philosophy founded by Zeno, who taught that people should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submit without complaint to unavoidable necessity.
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stoic. Often stoical characterized by a calm, austere fortitude befitting the Stoics, especially in the face of trouble or loss; not giving in to one’s emotions.
I'm normally pretty stoic about goodbyes.
At first, the artist’s father remained stoic about her success, barely reacting when she won the award.
noun
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a member or adherent of the Stoic school of philosophy.
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stoic, a person who maintains or affects the mental attitude advocated by the Stoics.
She's such a stoic—she's suffering, but she never says a word about it.
noun
adjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
- non-Stoic adjective
- unstoic adjective
Etymology
Origin of Stoic
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin Stōicus, from Greek Stōikós, equivalent to stō- (variant stem of stoá stoa ( def. ) ) + -ikos -ic ( def. )
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.
He encourages her to stop hiding behind her Stoic detachment and let more of the world in.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
Democracy thrives when citizens remember what the Stoic philosopher Epictetus said more than two thousand years ago: “We have two ears and one mouth, so we can listen twice as much as we speak.”
From Slate • Jan. 2, 2026
India's performance was a tribute to one of this area's other favourite sons, Lord Atherton of Stoic Defiance.
From BBC • Jul. 28, 2025
Despite his son’s aggressive posturing, Stoic fears he’s spawned a waste of DNA.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2025
When he came of age, he moved to Athens and heard the philosopher Ariston of Chios, who was a student of Zeno of Citium, a key figure in the history of the Stoic school.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
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.
